DENPASAR, OborDewata.com – Jessica Claire, a middle-aged Australian woman, was brought to trial at the Denpasar District Court on Thursday (12/5) as a defendant. The woman from the “Land of Kangaroo ” was charged with verbally abusing a veterinarian and trespassing into a restricted area without permission.
The incident stemmed from a seemingly trivial matter involving the defendant’s pet cat, a stray named Rocket. According to the prosecutor, Putu Daniel Intaran, in the charges read during the trial, the case began when the defendant visited Bali Veterinary Clinic, located in Banjar Dlodpadonan, Pererenan Mengwi, Badung, on Saturday, March 9, 2024, at around 11:42 AM local time. She brought her cat, injured after a fight with a dog.
“At that time, the cat was treated by the on-duty veterinarian, Dr. Made Galih. After examining the cat, the defendant was advised to proceed with immediate treatment and inpatient care for Rocket,” stated the prosecutor.
As part of the admission process, the clinic required the defendant to fill out hospitalization documents. These included an obligation to provide a deposit of IDR 1.5 million as an estimate for treatment costs. The defendant agreed but claimed she could not pay in cash at that moment, citing that her ATM card had been blocked.
The defendant requested to pay the next day and asked that treatment for the cat proceed in the meantime. However, the following day, she did not return to the clinic. Despite multiple attempts by the clinic to update her via WhatsApp on Rocket’s condition and remind her about the deposit, the defendant did not respond.
After six days of no response, and given that Rocket was a local stray, the clinic referred to its agreement with the defendant. This stipulated that if no payment was made within five days, the clinic could assume custody of the animal.
This “threat” prompted the defendant to arrive at the clinic in an emotional state on Saturday, March 16, around 4 PM. “The defendant shouted and demanded her cat back. She also forcibly entered the sterile animal patient area,” the prosecutor revealed.
Dr. Devita Vanessa, a veterinarian at the clinic, testified that she tried to calm the defendant and explained the terms of the hospitalization agreement. However, the defendant snatched the document, crumpled it, and nearly tore it.
The defendant reportedly verbally abused Dr. Devita, shouting, “F*** you!” When the clinic owner arrived, the defendant pointed at Dr. Devita and accused her, saying, “You steal my cat.”
The situation escalated further when the defendant hurled an extremely offensive insult, calling Dr. Devita a “f*ing b**.” Deeply hurt, Dr. Devita reported the incident to the Mengwi Police.
“The defendant’s words were highly degrading to me and my profession. She also trespassed into a sterile area where access is restricted,” said Dr. Devita during the trial.
The prosecutor has charged the defendant under Article 167(1) of the Indonesian Penal Code (KUHP) for trespassing and Articles 310(1) or 315 in conjunction with Article 64(1) of the KUHP for defamation and public insults.
Outside the courtroom, the complainant’s legal counsel, Bandem Dananjaya, SH, MH, emphasized that the case was not merely about the defendant’s residency in Villa Megilla, Mengwi. “It’s also about respecting Indonesian laws and maintaining proper ethics in communication,” he said. ar/nda/sathya
