Denpasar, Indonesia - A British man on trial for drug crime defended in a court in Indonesia's tourist island Bali on Tuesday after a possible death sentence.

Thomas Parker, from Cumbria, northwest England, was arrested on January 21 at a villa near Kuta Beach, a popular tourist destination who allegedly collected packages from motorcycle taxi drivers from a nearby street.

Parker was "suspected" by officials when collecting the package, according to court documents obtained by the Associated Press. He allegedly threw it away in panic when the police approached him. He was traced back to the villa where he lived and arrested.

The lab test results confirmed that the package was slightly more than a kilogram (2.326 pounds) of methyldimethylmethamphetamine or MDMA, a major ingredient in ecstasy, court documents said.

Parker was initially charged with drug trafficking and, if convicted, could face death penalty by firing the squad.

However, trafficking charges were dropped after police investigators determined that the program was not directly related to him.

The case was not reported until authorities showed Parker in handcuffs at a press conference on March 6.

During the police investigation, the 32-year-old electrician was able to prove that he had not ordered the package. It was dispatched by drug dealers friends and was identified only as Nicky, Parker was famous for about two years and was regularly talked to via the Telegram messaging app.

During the trial that began last month, Parker told the court that he initially refused to collect the package but later agreed to do so after Nick assured him that the package was safe and that he would not put him in danger.

Parker was told someone would pick it up from him soon, his attorney, Edward Pangkahila. Pongahira said Nick didn’t have the money or anything that promised Parker.

Authorities will charge the crime of reducing trafficking from humans to less serious crimes of hiding information from authorities. Prosecutors sought one year in prison for Parker on May 6.

However, under the Indonesian legal system, judges play an important role in legal determinants in trials. If applicable law is unclear or does not exist, they may seek further charges, which means that trafficking charges can be resumed.

Pangkahila said Parker last met Niki while on vacation in Thailand a year ago.

When his friend was a dealer, Parker worried that the package was filled with drugs. Pongahila said he panicked when he saw policemen on the street and was approached by them.

Parker, wearing a white shirt and black pants, repeatedly expressed his remorse during his final plea on Tuesday and asked a panel of three judges in the Dan Barca District Court to consider his situation and sentence leniency to the verdict.

Parker said: "I'm very sorry, sorry, I know it's a mistake and I promise not to repeat it again because I really don't know (the package) is a drug."

After Parker read out his guilty plea, presided over the trial, Gusti Ayu Akhirnyani, who was the judge, was adjourned until May 27, where the judge will read out their verdict in the verdict.

"Until now, they (prosecutors) were unable to prove that our client was an intermediary or trafficker, he had no connection with any drug network, and we hope the judge could draw the same conclusion."

He said his client was nervous and frustrated when he faced trial.

Indonesia has very strict drug laws and designated traffickers can be fired to enforce them.

Data from the Immigration and Corrections Department shows that about 530 people are on death row in Indonesia, mainly for drug-related crimes, including 96 foreigners. Indonesia's last execution was conducted in July 2016, with three foreigners.

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Associated Press writer Niniek Karmini in Jakarta, Indonesia contributed to the report.