Swiss prepare Polanski's house arrest

(epa)

Security experts yesterday started preparing Roman Polanski's Alpine chalet for the film director's house arrest while Swiss authorities consider whether to extradite him to the United States.

One of the conditions of Polanski's house arrest is that he is to wear an electronic bracelet that would detect if he tries to leave the home. The director, 76, has been in custody since his arrest in September. The US wants him extradited for raping a 13-year-old girl in 1977. He was initially indicted on six counts, but he pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of unlawful sexual intercourse.

In exchange, the judge had agreed to drop the remaining charges and sent him to prison for a 90-day psychiatric evaluation. Polanksi then fled the US in February 1978, the day he was to be formally sentenced.