Indian student in US goes to jail for filming gay roommate

US: An Indian immigrant college student convicted of illegally filming his gay roommate on a webcam received a big break Monday when a judge sentenced him to just 30 days behind bars, not the possible 10 years.

Dharun Ravi, who shared the webcam footage with friends in his dormitory at Rutgers University in New Jersey, had also faced possible deportation, but the judge said he would not recommend it.

The case sparked a national debate over cyber bullying and gay bashing when the 18-year-old roommate, apparently distraught in part over the embarrassment of the broadcasting of his gay sexual encounter, committed suicide days later. Ravi, now 20, was not charged with the death.

Ahead of tUhe light sentence, Judge Glenn Berman in New Brunswick, New Jersey, gave Ravi a severe dressing down.

Ravi showed "colossal insensitivity" when he filmed Tyler Clementi in September 2010, Berman said in comments carried live on TruTV.

"I heard this jury say 'guilty' 288 times -- 24 questions, 12 jurors," Berman said. "I haven't heard you apologize once." AFP