The Bombay High Court on Friday sent a Goa beach shack worker to jail for 10 years over the sexual assault and killing of British schoolgirl Scarlett Keeling on a Goa beach in 2008.

The Court ordered the maximum sentence against Samson D'Souza after finding him guilty on Wednesday of culpable homicide, sexual assault on a minor, provision of drugs and destruction of evidence.

The 15-year-old's bruised and half-naked body was found in shallow water on a beach in Goa. Her death and her mother Fiona MacKeown's fight for justice made international headlines, shining a spotlight on the seedy side of the popular resort destination as well as on India's sluggish justice system.

"Ten years is an appropriate punishment for anyone indulging in child abuse of this gravity," Vikram Varma, a lawyer for MacKeown, told AFP.

Special prosecutor Eijaz Khan sought the maximum term and opposed any&nbsp;leniency, arguing that D'Souza should have protected the minor girl.

"Instead they gave her drugs and liquor and finally left her to die on the beach, without informing anyone," said the prosecutor.

Khan also sought compensation for Keeling's mother for the "severe hardship and pain caused to her in a foreign land."

D'Souza, 39, was arrested soon after the killing and acquitted in 2016 along with another man Placido Carvalho when a Goa court ruled there was not enough evidence.&nbsp;

Carvalho's acquittal was upheld by the High Court on Wednesday.

"It's been a long 10 years of waiting for justice. It felt like they had sentenced us instead," MacKeown told AFP from Britain.&nbsp;

"It is an important verdict and I am glad justice has finally been served," the 55-year-old said.&nbsp;

Police initially dismissed Keeling's death as an accidental drowning but opened a murder investigation after MacKeown pushed for a second autopsy which proved she had been drugged and raped.

It showed that Keeling had suffered more than 50 injuries to her body.

The case was taken over by federal police who accused D'Souza and Carvalho of plying Keeling with a cocktail of drink and illegal drugs, including cocaine, before leaving her to die by dumping her unconscious in shallow water where she drowned.

The pair claimed the teenager died accidentally after taking drugs of her own volition.

The Bombay High Court on Friday sent a Goa beach shack worker to jail for 10 years over the sexual assault and killing of British schoolgirl Scarlett Keeling on a Goa beach in 2008.

The Bombay High Court on Friday sent a Goa beach shack worker to jail for 10 years over the sexual assault and killing of British schoolgirl Scarlett Keeling on a Goa beach in 2008. The Court ordered the maximum sentence against Samson D'Souza after finding him guilty on Wednesday of culpable homicide, sexual assault on a minor, provision of drugs and destruction of evidence. The 15-year-old's bruised and half-naked body was found in shallow water on a beach in Goa. Her death and her mother Fiona MacKeown's fight for justice made international headlines, shining a spotlight on the seedy side of the popular resort destination as well as on India's sluggish justice system. "Ten years is an appropriate punishment for anyone indulging in child abuse of this gravity," Vikram Varma, a lawyer for MacKeown, told AFP. Special prosecutor Eijaz Khan sought the maximum term and opposed any leniency, arguing that D'Souza should have protected the minor girl. "Instead they gave her drugs and liquor and finally left her to die on the beach, without informing anyone," said the prosecutor. Khan also sought compensation for Keeling's mother for the "severe hardship and pain caused to her in a foreign land." D'Souza, 39, was arrested soon after the killing and acquitted in 2016 along with another man Placido Carvalho when a Goa court ruled there was not enough evidence. Carvalho's acquittal was upheld by the High Court on Wednesday. "It's been a long 10 years of waiting for justice. It felt like they had sentenced us instead," MacKeown told AFP from Britain. "It is an important verdict and I am glad justice has finally been served," the 55-year-old said. Police initially dismissed Keeling's death as an accidental drowning but opened a murder investigation after MacKeown pushed for a second autopsy which proved she had been drugged and raped. It showed that Keeling had suffered more than 50 injuries to her body. The case was taken over by federal police who accused D'Souza and Carvalho of plying Keeling with a cocktail of drink and illegal drugs, including cocaine, before leaving her to die by dumping her unconscious in shallow water where she drowned. The pair claimed the teenager died accidentally after taking drugs of her own volition.

Bombay High Court jails beach shack worker for 10 years in Scarlett Keeling death case

Goa Police arrested a 23-year-old man Wednesday for allegedly murdering an Irish woman.

According to a report in DNA, Vikas Bhagat, a&nbsp;resident of Goa, told police he got angry because the Irish woman refused to have sex with him.&nbsp;

The body of 28-year-old Danielle McLaughlin was found naked in a field in South Goa on <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/irish-woman-found-dead-in-goa-one-arrested-13418">Tuesday</a>. Danielle had been playing Holi with a friend.

Police sources told DNA Bhagat had a dozen criminal cases against him, and was heavily intoxicated at the time.&nbsp;

&ldquo;During the probe, some witnesses told us that they had seen Bhagat, a history-sheeter, with a &lsquo;foreign&#39; woman at various places in Canacona on Monday. The witnesses told the police that they had seen Bhagat and the foreigner together since afternoon till 9 pm on Monday,&rdquo; deputy superintendent of police, Canacona, Sammy Tavares told DNA.

Bhagat told the police that he knew Danielle from the last time she had visited Goa.&nbsp;

&ldquo;Bhagat told us that the victim had contacted him on March 13 to meet her, and from afternoon till 9 pm, they were together. Bhagat further told us that he told the victim that he wanted to have sex with her which she refused. Bhagat, who was drunk at the time of the incident, then hit the victim with a beer bottle on her head. The girl sustained injuries on her face and head. Bhagat then escaped from the beach,&rdquo; Tavares told DNA.&nbsp;

Several foreigners have died in Goa over the past decade, including 15-year-old British schoolgirl Scarlett Keeling, whose bruised and semi-naked body was found in shallow water near the popular Anjuna beach in 2008.

An Indian court cleared two men of raping and killing Keeling last year.

McLaughlin&nbsp;had dual Irish and British citizenship.

The Irish Embassy is liaising closely with the British authorities and an Irish consular official is travelling from New Delhi to Goa today, a statement from the Irish foreign ministry said.&nbsp;

(WION) 
&nbsp;

Police said Vikas Bhagat, who was arrested Wednesday, hit Danielle McLaughlin on the head with a beer bottle

Goa Police arrested a 23-year-old man Wednesday for allegedly murdering an Irish woman. According to a report in DNA, Vikas Bhagat, a resident of Goa, told police he got angry because the Irish woman refused to have sex with him. The body of 28-year-old Danielle McLaughlin was found naked in a field in South Goa on Tuesday. Danielle had been playing Holi with a friend. Police sources told DNA Bhagat had a dozen criminal cases against him, and was heavily intoxicated at the time. “During the probe, some witnesses told us that they had seen Bhagat, a history-sheeter, with a ‘foreign' woman at various places in Canacona on Monday. The witnesses told the police that they had seen Bhagat and the foreigner together since afternoon till 9 pm on Monday,” deputy superintendent of police, Canacona, Sammy Tavares told DNA. Bhagat told the police that he knew Danielle from the last time she had visited Goa. “Bhagat told us that the victim had contacted him on March 13 to meet her, and from afternoon till 9 pm, they were together. Bhagat further told us that he told the victim that he wanted to have sex with her which she refused. Bhagat, who was drunk at the time of the incident, then hit the victim with a beer bottle on her head. The girl sustained injuries on her face and head. Bhagat then escaped from the beach,” Tavares told DNA. Several foreigners have died in Goa over the past decade, including 15-year-old British schoolgirl Scarlett Keeling, whose bruised and semi-naked body was found in shallow water near the popular Anjuna beach in 2008. An Indian court cleared two men of raping and killing Keeling last year. McLaughlin had dual Irish and British citizenship. The Irish Embassy is liaising closely with the British authorities and an Irish consular official is travelling from New Delhi to Goa today, a statement from the Irish foreign ministry said. (WION)

Irish woman was murdered in Goa for denying her alleged killer sex: Police

Indian Police on Wednesday said they had launched a murder investigation into the death of an Irish woman who was found dead and naked at an isolated open place in south Goa.

The body of 28-year-old Danielle McLaughlin was discovered in a field on Tuesday and an autopsy is being conducted to ascertain whether she was sexually assaulted, deputy superintendent Sammy Tavares of the Goan police told AFP.&nbsp;

He also said that a suspect had been arrested.&nbsp;A media report had earlier claimed that a man had confessed to her rape&nbsp;and murder.

&quot;Her body was found in a naked state. A case has been filed under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (murder),&quot; Tavares&nbsp;said.

The girl had come with a friend and had participated in Holi celebrations, before being found dead on Tuesday. She had a dual Irish and British citizenship.

Several foreigners have died in Goa over the past decade or so, including 15-year-old British schoolgirl Scarlett Keeling, whose bruised and semi-naked body was found in shallow water on the popular Anjuna&nbsp;beach in 2008. 
 
An Indian court had cleared two men of raping and killing Scarlett Keeling last year.

In a brief statement, McLaughlin&#39;s mother Andrea Brannigan said the family were &quot;finding it very difficult at this trying time.

&quot;Anyone who knew her knew that she was a beautiful and kind hearted, funny young lady who loved life and was a loyal and devoted friend, sister and daughter,&quot; Duffy said.

&quot;They say the brightest stars burn the quickest and no other analogy could describe Danielle&#39;s life better.&quot;

&quot;Danielle will be sadly missed by us all.&quot;?

A fund created by McLaughlin&#39;s friend Christy Duffy to fund the repatriation of her body quickly raised more than 15,000 euros ($16,000).

Ireland said since the Glasgow-born McLaughlin was travelling to India using a British passport, the local British consulate had the main responsibility of dealing with the Indian authorities.

The Irish foreign ministry stated that its embassy in India was &quot;following up on the suspected murder of an Irish woman in Goa.&quot;

&quot;It has been confirmed that the woman travelled to India using a British passport, so the local British consulate has the lead responsibility in terms of dealings with the Indian authorities.

&quot;The Irish embassy is liaising closely with the British authorities and an Irish consular official is travelling from New Delhi to Goa today,&quot; the statement added.

Britain&#39;s consulate in Mumbai told AFP it was working closely with local authorities.

(WION with inputs from AFP) 
&nbsp;

The girl had come with a friend and had participated in Holi celebrations, before being found dead on Tuesday

Indian Police on Wednesday said they had launched a murder investigation into the death of an Irish woman who was found dead and naked at an isolated open place in south Goa. The body of 28-year-old Danielle McLaughlin was discovered in a field on Tuesday and an autopsy is being conducted to ascertain whether she was sexually assaulted, deputy superintendent Sammy Tavares of the Goan police told AFP. He also said that a suspect had been arrested. A media report had earlier claimed that a man had confessed to her rape and murder. "Her body was found in a naked state. A case has been filed under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (murder)," Tavares said. The girl had come with a friend and had participated in Holi celebrations, before being found dead on Tuesday. She had a dual Irish and British citizenship. Several foreigners have died in Goa over the past decade or so, including 15-year-old British schoolgirl Scarlett Keeling, whose bruised and semi-naked body was found in shallow water on the popular Anjuna beach in 2008. An Indian court had cleared two men of raping and killing Scarlett Keeling last year. In a brief statement, McLaughlin's mother Andrea Brannigan said the family were "finding it very difficult at this trying time. "Anyone who knew her knew that she was a beautiful and kind hearted, funny young lady who loved life and was a loyal and devoted friend, sister and daughter," Duffy said. "They say the brightest stars burn the quickest and no other analogy could describe Danielle's life better." "Danielle will be sadly missed by us all."? A fund created by McLaughlin's friend Christy Duffy to fund the repatriation of her body quickly raised more than 15,000 euros ($16,000). Ireland said since the Glasgow-born McLaughlin was travelling to India using a British passport, the local British consulate had the main responsibility of dealing with the Indian authorities. The Irish foreign ministry stated that its embassy in India was "following up on the suspected murder of an Irish woman in Goa." "It has been confirmed that the woman travelled to India using a British passport, so the local British consulate has the lead responsibility in terms of dealings with the Indian authorities. "The Irish embassy is liaising closely with the British authorities and an Irish consular official is travelling from New Delhi to Goa today," the statement added. Britain's consulate in Mumbai told AFP it was working closely with local authorities. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Irish woman found dead in Goa, one arrested

An Indian judge will on Friday deliver his verdict in the rape and death of the 15-year-old British schoolgirl Scarlett Keeling -- eight years after her half-naked corpse was found on the popular Anjuna beach in India&#39;s resort state of Goa.&nbsp; 
 
Police had at first dismissed the death as an accidental drowning but reopened the case after Scarlett&#39;s mother Fiona MacKeown insisted on a second autopsy which showed the 15-year-old had been raped and drugged.&nbsp; 
 
The two men accused of causing her death -- Samson D&#39;Souza and Placido Carvalho -- have been charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, using force with intent to outrage a woman&#39;s modesty, and of administering drugs with intent to harm. 
 
They are accused of plying Scarlett with drinks and drugs, including cocaine, and then leaving her in shallow waters in which she drowned.&nbsp; 
 
Mrs MacKeown had wanted stronger charges levelled against the two men but the federal agency the Central Bureau of Investigation, which took over the investigation from the Goa Police, said they did not have the evidence needed to charge the men with the stronger accusations.&nbsp; 
 
Scarlett had been at a beach party before she died.&nbsp; 
 
Mrs MacKeown herself and her other daughters were at the time on holiday in the neighbouring state of Karnataka and had left Scarlett behind in the care of a Goan family. That was a decision Mrs MacKeown said she came to &quot;bitterly regret&quot; -- and which brought her in for a tremendous amount of censure back in Britain.&nbsp; 
Mrs MacKeown will be in Goa when the judge delivers his verdict.&nbsp; 
 
Delays &amp; setback:&nbsp; 
 
The case itself has been dogged by delays, including infrequent hearings due to a backlog of cases and a public prosecutor withdrawing from proceedings.&nbsp; 
 
The prosecution&#39;s case was also dealt a blow when a key witness, the Briton Michael Mannion, who had been staying with D&#39;Souza, refused to testify.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;It was important for the judge to hear Mannion&#39;s testimony to convict. So that was a setback,&quot; prosecution lawyer Vikram Varma told AFP.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;(But) I&#39;m keeping my fingers crossed that after all this struggle we may get a verdict of guilty,&quot; he added.&nbsp; 
 
(WION with inputs from AFP)

Fifteen-year-old Scarlett's bruised and half-naked body was found on Anjuna beach in the resort state of Goa eight years ago

An Indian judge will on Friday deliver his verdict in the rape and death of the 15-year-old British schoolgirl Scarlett Keeling -- eight years after her half-naked corpse was found on the popular Anjuna beach in India's resort state of Goa. Police had at first dismissed the death as an accidental drowning but reopened the case after Scarlett's mother Fiona MacKeown insisted on a second autopsy which showed the 15-year-old had been raped and drugged. The two men accused of causing her death -- Samson D'Souza and Placido Carvalho -- have been charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, using force with intent to outrage a woman's modesty, and of administering drugs with intent to harm. They are accused of plying Scarlett with drinks and drugs, including cocaine, and then leaving her in shallow waters in which she drowned. Mrs MacKeown had wanted stronger charges levelled against the two men but the federal agency the Central Bureau of Investigation, which took over the investigation from the Goa Police, said they did not have the evidence needed to charge the men with the stronger accusations. Scarlett had been at a beach party before she died. Mrs MacKeown herself and her other daughters were at the time on holiday in the neighbouring state of Karnataka and had left Scarlett behind in the care of a Goan family. That was a decision Mrs MacKeown said she came to "bitterly regret" -- and which brought her in for a tremendous amount of censure back in Britain. Mrs MacKeown will be in Goa when the judge delivers his verdict. Delays & setback: The case itself has been dogged by delays, including infrequent hearings due to a backlog of cases and a public prosecutor withdrawing from proceedings. The prosecution's case was also dealt a blow when a key witness, the Briton Michael Mannion, who had been staying with D'Souza, refused to testify. "It was important for the judge to hear Mannion's testimony to convict. So that was a setback," prosecution lawyer Vikram Varma told AFP. "(But) I'm keeping my fingers crossed that after all this struggle we may get a verdict of guilty," he added. (WION with inputs from AFP)