A 69-year-old grandmother, who was sentenced to death row in Bali for smuggling £1.6 million worth of cocaine, has returned to the UK. Lindsay Sandiford, then 56, confessed to smuggling drugs into Indonesia in 2012, alleging coercion by an international drug syndicate that threatened her family. She spent years in harsh prison conditions before a humanitarian release deal was secured last month.
Following a 20-hour journey, including a layover, Sandiford arrived at London Heathrow Airport on a government-funded £600 ticket, reuniting with her family on British soil after more than a decade. Reports indicate she is eager to receive urgent medical care after her release.
Sources revealed that medical assessments indicate Sandiford’s poor health due to her lengthy incarceration in a severe prison environment. Pastor Christine Buckingham, who recently visited Sandiford in jail, emphasized the importance of her receiving medical attention and spending quality time with her family upon her return.
Seen in a wheelchair upon her release from Bali’s Kerobokan jail after 13 years in custody, with 12 of those on death row, Sandiford avoided photographers as she was transported to Denpasar International Airport for her flight back to the UK with Qatar Airways.
Indonesian sources mention that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper made a direct appeal to Indonesian authorities for Sandiford’s release. Although Indonesian officials suggest she may face further imprisonment upon her return to the UK, the Foreign Office has not confirmed if she will be taken into custody. Indonesia’s Deputy Minister for Immigration and Correctional Coordination, I Nyoman Gede Surya Mataram, stated that she will likely remain in prison in England.
