British grandmother sentenced to death in Bali on drugs charges returns to UK
A British grandmother sentenced to death in Bali for smuggling large amounts of cocaine was deported back to the UK from Indonesia on Friday, officials said.
Lindsay Sandiford, 69, was sent back along with British national Shahab Shahabadi, who is serving a life sentence for drug offences.
I Nyoman Gede Surya Mataram, Indonesia’s deputy in charge of immigration and corrections coordination, said the flight that would take them from Bali to London departed at around 12.30pm on Friday.
Indonesia has some of the strictest drug laws in the world, with harsh penalties, including the death penalty, for serious drug crimes such as smuggling. However, it has released several high-profile convicts since last year.
Sandiford was sentenced to death in 2013 and held in the notorious Kerobokan prison for more than a decade.
The Briton was arrested at Bali’s Denpasar airport in 2012 after customs officials found 4.8kg of cocaine worth around £1.6 million in the lining of his suitcase when he arrived from Bangkok, Thailand.
He claimed that a British gang forced him to smuggle drugs and threatened to kill one of his two sons if he refused to cooperate.
However, Indonesian police claimed that the grandmother of two was part of an international network smuggling drugs from countries such as Peru, Colombia and Thailand.
Sandiford and Shahabadi were released on “humanitarian grounds” after the UK government reached an agreement with Indonesia.
“When they first come to the UK, their health will be the priority,” said Matthew Downing, Britain’s deputy ambassador to Indonesia.
“So they will undergo a health assessment and receive any treatment and rehabilitation they need.”
Before their return, a Foreign Office spokesman said: Independent they were is “in close contact with Indonesian authorities” regarding discussions regarding the couple’s repatriation.
Sandiford and Shahabadi, who were detained in 2014, were released from prison on Thursday afternoon and made the 45-minute drive to Denpasar airport, where they were handed over to British ambassador Dominic Jermey.
Before leaving, Sandiford attended a press conference in a wheelchair at Kerobokan prison but did not speak. He covered his face with his hands.
Mr Downing said Sandiford “will be subject to UK law and procedures” but said he would not speculate about any legal action he might face.
He said it was a reciprocal agreement with Indonesia, which meant the Southeast Asian nation could seek the return of its citizens held in Britain, although no requests have been made so far.
Pastor Christine Buckingham visited Sandiford in prison last week and said: Mirror He said his “health was extremely poor.”
“After these 13 years, he very much wants to go back and be with his family,” the priest said. “He wants to return home and enjoy some comforts.”
Asked what Sandiford plans to do after returning to England, Ms Buckingham said: “He is very ill. The most important thing is for him to come home, he needs to be medically checked and then his plan is to say he will spend as much time as possible with his family.”
