An Australian man has been arrested in Bali on suspicion of engaging in a public sex act, with authorities apprehending him at the airport as he tried to board a flight to Brisbane. Billy Aspinall, 27, of Coolum Beach, was detained after CCTV footage of the alleged incident on August 22 went viral.
Immigration officials utilized facial recognition technology to identify Aspinall from the surveillance footage. "On Tuesday (25/8/2026), B.A. was successfully secured by the inspection officer of Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport while departing for Brisbane," an immigration statement read. The Intelligence and Immigration Action Team of the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office subsequently handed him over to Badung Resort Police for further legal proceedings.
Authorities allege that Aspinall and an unidentified woman were captured on camera performing sex acts next to a residential property in Tibubeneng village, North Kuta, around 6:30 p.m. on Saturday. A local woman reportedly encountered the pair during her commute to prayer and shouted at them to stop. The entire alleged incident lasted approximately 15 minutes before the pair departed the scene.
Officials have described the alleged act as "reckless" and stated that it has the potential to cause public concern and negatively affect the image of security and tourism in the area if not handled seriously. The woman involved in the video is still being sought by police, who suspect she is also a tourist. "The identity of the female foreigner suspected of being involved is still being investigated by the Police and is currently being pursued by authorities to be held accountable," the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office said.
In Bali, public sexual acts are believed to bring bad energy, and in this instance, the woman was reportedly required to perform a Hindu ceremony following the act. Aspinall, an Australian citizen born in 1998, is believed to have held a valid visa on arrival. Immigration has placed him on a Subject of Interest list to monitor his movements.
Indonesia, a Muslim-majority country, enforces conservative laws, particularly concerning public decency and pornography. The nation's new Criminal Code, implemented in January of the current year, includes provisions that criminalize premarital sex, cohabitation, and public drunkenness. In March, three tourists were previously arrested in Bali for allegedly filming pornographic content on the island.