Australian jailed for three years for insulting Thai royals (AFP)

[Yahoo!_news]

AFP - An Australian writer was sentenced to three years in jail by a Thai court on Monday after he pleaded guilty to insulting Thailand's revered royal family in a novel, a judge said.

Harry Nicolaides, 41, appeared in a Bangkok court wearing a dark orange prison jumpsuit with his hands cuffed and his feet shackled, an AFP reporter said. He has already been in custody for nearly five months.

"He has written a book that slandered the king, the crown prince and Thailand and the monarchy," the judge told the court.

"He was found guilty under criminal law article 112 and the court has sentenced him to six years, but due to his confession, which is beneficial to the case, the sentence is reduced to three years," the judge said.

Leaving the court, Nicolaides told reporters: "I wish my family the best."

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