The final days of a British grandmother serving time in Bali for smuggling cocaine worth £1.6 million have been disclosed. Lindsay Sandiford, aged 69, was imprisoned in Bali’s Kerobokan jail after being sentenced to death by firing squad for drug trafficking into Indonesia in 2012. Sandiford, then 56, alleged coercion by a drug syndicate that threatened her family if she did not comply. After enduring harsh conditions in jail for over a decade, a humanitarian agreement brokered by Keir Starmer and Indonesian authorities led to her release.
Images from the prison were released depicting Sandiford’s last moments before boarding a UK government-funded flight back to the UK, arriving at Heathrow on Friday. Sandiford was seen embracing Pastor Christine Buckingham, who provided support during her incarceration. Buckingham noted Sandiford’s frail health and health issues following her lengthy imprisonment.
Sandiford, suffering from diabetes and hypertension, requires medical attention in the UK. Buckingham emphasized the urgency of Sandiford’s medical evaluation upon her return and highlighted the grandmother’s desire to reunite with her family and enjoy a comfortable life.
Photographs from Kerobokan jail captured Sandiford with her head in her hands, shielding her eyes, as officials from the British and Indonesian governments signed a treaty. Upon arrival in the UK, Indonesian authorities stated that Sandiford would face further incarceration, although the Foreign Office did not confirm if she would be detained.
Sandiford and another UK national, Shahab Shahabadi, were released under a bilateral agreement between British and Indonesian authorities, with Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper signing the repatriation deal after extensive negotiations. Indonesia’s Deputy Minister for Immigration and Correctional Coordination emphasized the country’s commitment to international legal cooperation through this process.
