File photo courtesy of Daily Mail

 

A British grandmother, Lindsay Sandiford, 69, is set to return to the UK after spending over a decade on death row in Indonesia for drug smuggling. The Indonesian government announced that Sandiford, sentenced in 2013 for carrying nearly five kilos of cocaine into Bali, can be transferred in about two weeks alongside fellow British national Shahab Shahabadi.

 

Sandiford admitted to smuggling the drugs but claimed it was under duress, following threats to her son by a drug syndicate. In 2012, when she arrived from Thailand, authorities found cocaine worth approximately THB 70 million (£1.6 million) in her luggage. An agreement between the Indonesian and British governments has been reached, allowing both Sandiford and Shahabadi to return to the UK.

 

A spokesperson for the Foreign Office confirmed their support for the two detainees and ongoing discussions with Indonesian authorities. Sandiford, originally from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, faced the threat of execution by firing squad. Shahabadi, 35, was serving a life sentence for drug smuggling and suffers from severe health issues.

 

Indonesia's law and human rights minister, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, stated at a Jakarta press conference that the technical details of the transfer could take two weeks to finalise. He highlighted the health problems both prisoners face, with Sandiford in poor health and Shahabadi suffering from mental health disorders.

 

The UK and Indonesia do not have a formal prisoner transfer agreement, which typically requires prisoners to complete their sentences in their home country. Sandiford's arrest came during a period of harsh penalties for drug offences in Indonesia, with two Australian men executed in 2015 for similar crimes.

 

Jennifer Fleetwood, a criminologist from the University of London who worked on Sandiford's appeal, expressed relief at the news. She remarked on the difficulties prisoners face serving sentences abroad, including language barriers and lack of healthcare, which are particularly challenging for ageing prisoners with health needs.

 

 

 

Key Takeaways

 

• Lindsay Sandiford, sentenced to death in 2013 for drug smuggling, will return to the UK.
• An agreement between Indonesia and the UK allows her and Shahab Shahabadi's transfer.
• Both prisoners face significant health issues, prompting the need for their return.

 

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from BBC 2025-10-22

 

 

That’s a bit of good news at least they won’t be deported and dumped on the tarmac in some foreign land.

Excellent news 👏 

She is very lucky, she could have got the 'firing squad'??

9 minutes ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

She is very lucky, she could have got the 'firing squad'??

Yes like two of the infamous "Bali Nine".

Good for her but i hope she is returned to her country and placed in prison there to serve out her sentence without the death penalty. It does not matter her excuse for committing the crimes. She was guilty and knowingly tried to smuggle drugs into Bali. 

They executed two Australians to send a message to others. Then two more people were caught. It's almost as if the death penalty doesn't work.

She has served her time 

Now going home and enjoy the rest of your life maybe write a book on your experiences  could be a good seller 🤑

24 minutes ago, Purdey said:

They executed two Australians to send a message to others. Then two more people were caught. It's almost as if the death penalty doesn't work.

To be honest, there are 2 less who will reoffend

4 hours ago, roo860 said:

Excellent news 👏 

 

What's excellent about 2 convicted drug dealers coming back to the UK to no doubt put even more strain on the benefits/welfare/health systems?

3 hours ago, Purdey said:

They executed two Australians to send a message to others. Then two more people were caught. It's almost as if the death penalty doesn't work.

 

That's because noone who commits a crime for whatever reason does so expecting to be caught.

 

4 hours ago, Purdey said:

They executed two Australians to send a message to others. Then two more people were caught. It's almost as if the death penalty doesn't work.

 

How many people did NOT commit such a crime after seeing these 2 executed?

 

See how it's difficult to measure?

 

The death penalty serves many functions. Deterrent. Punishment. Eliminating the chance of future offenses to name only three. 

 

Personally I would not have it for drugs offenses. Abhorrent crimes against children and the elderly? Yes, I would. 

 

4 hours ago, JonnyF said:

 

What's excellent about 2 convicted drug dealers coming back to the UK to no doubt put even more strain on the benefits/welfare/health systems?

Drop in the ocean compared to whats spent on illegal immigrants.

7 hours ago, thesetat said:

Good for her but i hope she is returned to her country and placed in prison there to serve out her sentence without the death penalty. It does not matter her excuse for committing the crimes. She was guilty and knowingly tried to smuggle drugs into Bali. 

No heart, wot? We didn't even heard what drugs she was carrying. 69, she should be free. Could be your mum.

9 hours ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

She is very lucky, she could have got the 'firing squad'??

 

Sure, if she were on a pleasure boat in the Caribbean.

7 hours ago, Purdey said:

They executed two Australians to send a message to others. Then two more people were caught. It's almost as if the death penalty doesn't work.

 

Death penalty works 100%.

 

How many of those two Australians were caught at a later date smuggling drugs?

2 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

No heart, wot? We didn't even heard what drugs she was carrying. 69, she should be free. Could be your mum.

Article clearly stated cocaine. 

3 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

No heart, wot? We didn't even heard what drugs she was carrying. 69, she should be free. Could be your mum.

My mum would not have smuggled narcotics into a foreign nation illegally. She would have worked with government to set up a sting with those who were coercing her. 

She's one of the lucky ones because they usually don't care about international pressure when it comes to drug related executions! 

12 hours ago, thesetat said:

My mum would not have smuggled narcotics into a foreign nation illegally. She would have worked with government to set up a sting with those who were coercing her. 

 

Well, my mum wouldn't smuggle 5kg of Hunter dust, and then when caught make up a story about being "coerced" to gain sympathy.

17 hours ago, Keeps said:

Article clearly stated cocaine. 

Sorry, I missed it. IYO, does coke count as a harmful drug, a danger to society aso?