Indonesian court sentences serial killer death

Self-confessed serial killer Henyansyah, also known as Ryan, hugs his mother in a temporary cell before his trial in Depok

A self-confessed serial killer was sentenced to death on Monday by an Indonesian court which cited the "sadistic" killing of a man in Jakarta.

"The defendant Idam Henyansyah has been found guilty of premeditated murder," Suwidya, who headed a panel of judges, told the court in Depok, south of the capital Jakarta.

The death penalty had been given because of the nature of the murder and after Henyansyah had shown no respect for human life or remorse, the judge added.

Henyansyah, known as Ryan, was arrested in July last year after police identified a mutilated body in Jakarta as one of his dates.

Police later dug up 10 other bodies, including those of a women and her three-year-old daughter, in Henyansyah's backyard in Jatiwates village, East Java, about 640 km (400 miles) east of Jakarta and 26 km from Jombang.

The grisly nature of the killings attracted blanket coverage by the local media, and enabled Henyansyah to capitalise on his notoriety. While in custody, Henyansyah published a book "Confessions: The Untold Stories of Ryan" and, according to media reports, planned to release a pop album.

After his arrest, hundreds of curious onlookers descended on Jatiwates, where he lived, to watch as police exhumed bodies from a makeshift grave and to see the suspect as he showed police the grave sites.

Henyansyah's lawyers said they would appeal to the high court.

Reporting by Telly Nathalia

DEPOK, Indonesia, April 6 (Reuters Life!) -