First picture of death row gran Lindsay Sandiford back on British soil
After spending more than a decade on death row in Indonesia, British grandmother Lindsay Sandiford has returned to the UK. The 69-year-old woman, convicted 13 years ago for smuggling £1.6 million worth of cocaine into Bali, was photographed arriving at Heathrow’s Terminal 4 on Friday.
Sandiford, seen in a wheelchair and wearing black leggings with a green cardigan, covered her face as she made her way through the terminal. She departed Indonesia earlier the same day, following an agreement between Jakarta and London permitting her repatriation on humanitarian grounds.
Her flight back to Britain was reportedly funded by the UK government at a cost of £600. Before leaving Bali, Sandiford attended a handover ceremony at Kerobokan Prison, where she had been incarcerated for over ten years.
She was accompanied by another British prisoner, 35-year-old Shabab Shahabadi, who had been serving a life sentence for drug offences. Both were driven to Denpasar International Airport to meet British Ambassador Dominic Jeremy prior to their departure.
“Lindsay Sandiford and Shahab Shahabadi have serious health conditions and are being repatriated on humanitarian grounds.” — Matthew Downing, UK Deputy Ambassador to Indonesia
Author’s Summary
Lindsay Sandiford, once on Indonesia’s death row, has returned to Britain after 13 years, freed through a humanitarian agreement due to declining health.