A British woman arrested for posing naked on Malaysia's Mount Kinabalu has admitted she was "stupid and disrespectful", her father says. Eleanor Hawkins, 23, from Derbyshire, is among a group of 10 people who stripped before taking photographs at the peak of the mountain on 30 May. Timothy Hawkins said he expects his daughter, who is "very sorry", to plead guilty in court on Monday. Malaysian officials said she could be charged with causing public nuisance. Miss Hawkins, who was head girl at independent Ockbrook School, will be sentenced straight away and could face three months' imprisonment or a fine, her father said.
Mr Hawkins, who has spoken to his daughter, said he was "horrified" to see her on the front pages of national newspapers. He said the situation should not be "blown out of all proportion".
Mt Kinabalu was hit by a magnitude 6.0 earthquake, which left 18 people dead, including children. A senior minister last week said the tourists had angered spirits by showing "disrespect" to the mountain, which is considered sacred by some tribes in Malaysia.
Ms Hawkins and three other western tourists appeared in court on Wednesday to have their remand extended, according to Malaysian newspaper The Star. They will be held until Saturday while police continue to investigate. Mr Hawkins - who said his daughter was "obviously in the photos" - said: "It's fair enough to charge for the misdemeanour committed. "What we don't want is her lumbered with further charges. "Asked how his daughter is, he said: "As far as I know, she is OK. She is a very intelligent, stoic young woman and she's OK. "I think she is preparing herself for the worst, just in case." Pictures posted on social media angered many in Malaysia, but public sentiment intensified after the earthquake.
