Drug accused 'vulnerable to manipulation', psychiatrist tells Bali court

Antony de Malmanche with lawyer Craig Tuck. Photo / Supplied

A New Zealand man's intellectual impairment and mental illness made him particularly vulnerable to manipulation by a drug syndicate that preyed on lonely hearts, a psychiatrist told a court in Bali last night.

Antony de Malmanche could face the death penalty for trafficking 1.7kg of methamphetamine onto the Indonesian island in December.

He says he travelled there believing he would meet his online love, "Jessy," and had no idea the drugs were in his backpack.

A New Zealand-based psychologist, Rupert Bird, told his trial last night that the disability pensioner suffered dependent personality disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic pain and chronic depression.

The court has already heard that de Malmanche, 53, was abused by his parents as a child and placed into state care.

Since then, Dr Bird said, his condition had ranged only "between bad and a little better" and he had been admitted to mental health facilities five times.

Combined with his low IQ of 75, de Malmanche was particularly susceptible to persuasion.

He said this was particularly so when he was being promised the love and care he had felt was missing his whole life.

"He's abnormally trusting and believed a story that emotionally healthy people would see as being obviously not true," Dr Bird said.

De Malmanche's New Zealand lawyer, Craig Tuck, submitted a 400-plus-page log of chats with "Jessy".

A sample read: "I am very successful in what I do and I am not a greedy woman either. I want you to know I will share all I have with you."

Mr Tuck said the sender's origin was traced to Pretoria, South Africa, where authorities were investigating.

He said it was clear from the logs that de Malmanche was being groomed to become a victim of human trafficking.

"I think this case is a unique set of facts where we have been able to establish a foundation of evidence which shows that this man was exploited by a cartel."

The trial also heard emotional testimony from Whanganui pastor Nick Watt, who said he knew de Malmanche as a kind-hearted man still suffering from his abusive childhood.

"I want him to come home," Mr Watt said. "We love him, we're praying for him."

The trial continues next week.

- AAP