First Picture of Death Row Grandmother Lindsay Sandiford Back on British Soil
Lindsay Sandiford, 69, convicted of smuggling £1.6 million worth of cocaine into Bali 13 years ago, was seen arriving at Heathrow's Terminal 4 on Friday. A British grandmother who spent over a decade on death row in Indonesia has returned to the UK.
Sandiford was photographed in a wheelchair, dressed in black leggings and a green cardigan, covering her face with clothing. She left Indonesia early Friday after being spared execution thanks to a humanitarian agreement between Jakarta and London to repatriate her and another British prisoner.
The British government reportedly spent £600 on her plane ticket back to the UK.
Handover Ceremony and Companion
Before her flight from Bali, Sandiford was seen at a handover ceremony at Kerobokan Prison. She departed the prison alongside 35-year-old Shabab Shahabadi, serving a life sentence for drug offenses.
The two were driven to Denpasar International Airport, where they were expected to meet British Ambassador Dominic Jeremy before boarding their flight.
"Lindsay Sandiford and Shahab Shahabadi have serious health conditions and are being repatriated on humanitarian grounds," said Matthew Downing, the UK's deputy ambassador to Indonesia.
Author's summary: Lindsay Sandiford, after 13 years on Indonesia's death row, has returned to the UK under a humanitarian deal due to serious health issues.