Burlington teacher’s release from Indonesia delayed again

[projekktor id=’22167′]

(Updated) More delays in the effort to get former Burlington resident Neil Bantleman back to Canada.

He’s the Burlington man who was convicted of sexually assaulting students at an Indonesian school where he was teaching. Bantleman appealed the verdict and was acquitted, but now prosecutors have filed their own appeal. That means Bantleman will remain in Indonesia until the court deals with the latest appeal.

CHCH News spoke to Bantleman’s brother Guy this morning. “Once the appeal has been filed we then have to wait for the supreme court to name a panel of judges who will review all of the information. They will take their time to review it and they will opine.”

“Given the acquittal in August, we were hoping that Neil would be home for Christmas but at this point it looks like it would be well into January or
February.”

“His lawyer has filed some rebuttal documents. This is not a court case that we would be accustomed to. It’s not people going into court every day and reviewing information. These are judges sitting behind a closed door and reviewing all of the information provided by both the defence and the prosecutor for both the initial trial and the first appeal at the high court.”

Guy Bantleman adds the mothers who accused Neil of molesting the students, were looking for money. All of those women have left Indonesia and are now living in other countries.

Additional video: Full interview with Guy Bantleman from Morning Live:

[projekktor id=’22169′]