The final days of a British grandmother, known as a drug mule, who was sentenced to death for smuggling £1.6 million worth of cocaine into Bali, have been disclosed. Lindsay Sandiford, aged 69, spent 12 years on death row in Bali’s Kerobokan prison after being convicted of smuggling cocaine into Indonesia in 2012. Sandiford, then 56, claimed she was coerced by an international drug syndicate that threatened her family if she refused. After enduring harsh conditions in the jail for more than a decade, a humanitarian agreement brokered by Keir Starmer and Indonesian authorities led to her release.
Images from the prison captured the grandmother’s final moments before she boarded a UK government-funded flight back to the UK, landing at Heathrow on Friday. Sandiford was seen embracing Pastor Christine Buckingham, who provided support during her incarceration. Buckingham revealed that the 69-year-old was in poor health and dealing with health issues after her long imprisonment.
Sandiford, suffering from diabetes and hypertension, requires medical attention upon her return home. Buckingham emphasized the urgency of Sandiford’s medical evaluation before reuniting with her family. Upon her departure from Kerobokan jail, Sandiford was visibly distressed, covering her face while officials from the UK and Indonesia sealed an agreement.
Following a 20-hour journey, the grandmother arrived back in the UK at London Heathrow Airport, where she was seen in a wheelchair shielding her face from photographers. Indonesian authorities have indicated that upon her return to the UK, Sandiford may face additional time behind bars, although the Foreign Office has not confirmed if she will be detained.
Sandiford was released alongside another UK national, Shahab Shahabadi, who is serving a life sentence for separate drug offenses. The repatriation deal, signed on October 21 by Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper after extensive negotiations, marked a significant step in international legal cooperation for Indonesia.