Bali bans Australian tourist Billy Aspinall for 10 years after CCTV allegedly captures public sex act; locals perform purifying rituals
An Australian tourist has been deported from Bali and banned from entering Indonesia for 10 years after he was allegedly caught on CCTV engaging in a sex act with a woman outside a residential property in North Kuta.Billy Aspinall, 27, from Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, was arrested at Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport on August 25, three days after the alleged incident was recorded by a security camera in the Tibubeneng area of North Kuta.Aspinall had been trying to board a flight home to Brisbane when immigration officials stopped him. He subsequently spent about two weeks in immigration detention before being deported.
Australian tourist deported to Brisbane
The latest development was confirmed by Muhamad Novyandri, head of the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office, who said Aspinall was deported on Tuesday night on a Batik Air flight from Denpasar to Brisbane.“The deportation of BA was carried out on Tuesday night using a Batik Air flight on the Denpasar-Brisbane route,” Novyandri said, according to reports.The 10-year ban means Aspinall will not be allowed to enter Indonesia in any capacity during the period of the sanction.
What happened on the Bali driveway?
The incident took place on August 22 outside a residential property in Tibubeneng, North Kuta.CCTV footage allegedly showed Aspinall and a woman engaging in sexual activity on a driveway near the property’s entrance. The woman has not been publicly identified and is believed to be another foreign tourist.According to reports, the woman had been drinking with Aspinall before the incident.A local woman reportedly came across the pair while she was on her way to pray. She was said to have shouted at them to stop, but they allegedly continued.The entire encounter reportedly lasted around 15 minutes before the pair left the property.The CCTV footage subsequently spread widely online, prompting anger among local residents.
Police said incident could affect Bali’s image
North Kuta chief police commander Ketut Sukadana said the alleged conduct had the potential to cause concern among residents.“The alleged indecent acts have the potential to cause public concern,” Sukadana said.He added that the incident could particularly affect residents of Tibubeneng and could harm the perception of safety and tourism in the North Kuta area if it were not addressed.Authorities said the matter needed to be handled seriously, including under local customary law or national law.
Locals hold cleansing ceremony
The incident also prompted a traditional response from residents.A cleansing ceremony was held at the property where the alleged incident took place, with locals seeking to purify the area and remove what they regarded as negative or bad energy following the incident.The reaction reflects the importance of local customs and community standards in Bali, a predominantly Hindu island that attracts millions of international tourists.
What does Indonesian law say?
The case comes after Indonesia brought its revised Criminal Code into force on January 2, 2026, introducing several changes to the country’s criminal laws.The new provisions include offences relating to sex outside marriage and cohabitation, although legal experts have pointed out that such offences generally require a complaint from specific family members before authorities can prosecute.Legal expert Retno Murni, founder of the People’s Law Center, said complaints involving alleged adultery or sex outside marriage can be filed only by certain relatives, including a legal husband or wife, parents or children of the person involved.She said foreign tourists therefore cannot simply be arrested or prosecuted for staying with a partner without the required complaint.Public indecency, however, is treated separately, and authorities have indicated that conduct in public places can trigger enforcement action.Murni advised tourists to respect Indonesian laws and local customs and to behave appropriately while visiting the country.
Woman in CCTV footage remains unidentified
While Aspinall has now been deported, authorities have not publicly identified the woman who allegedly appeared with him in the CCTV footage.Earlier, immigration officials said they would continue working with police to locate the woman and determine whether any immigration action should also be taken against her.
