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| Bali Britons arrested for cocaine smuggling 'may not face fair trial' | Bali Britons arrested for cocaine smuggling 'may not face fair trial' |
| (4 months later) | |
| A legal charity has warned that the four Britons arrested over an alleged plot to smuggle £1.6m of cocaine into Bali may not face a fair trial on the Indonesian island, and has expressed "deep concerns" about their welfare. | A legal charity has warned that the four Britons arrested over an alleged plot to smuggle £1.6m of cocaine into Bali may not face a fair trial on the Indonesian island, and has expressed "deep concerns" about their welfare. |
| Four British nationals – Lindsay Sandiford, Rachel Dougall, Julian Ponder and Paul Beales – were paraded before the media at the weekend. Indonesian customs officials said they had uncovered the plot after finding 4.8kg of cocaine hidden in Sandiford's suitcase. An Indian man was also arrested. | Four British nationals – Lindsay Sandiford, Rachel Dougall, Julian Ponder and Paul Beales – were paraded before the media at the weekend. Indonesian customs officials said they had uncovered the plot after finding 4.8kg of cocaine hidden in Sandiford's suitcase. An Indian man was also arrested. |
| Officials accuse the five of involvement in "an international network controlled from abroad" and say all but Sandiford face the death penalty if convicted. | Officials accuse the five of involvement in "an international network controlled from abroad" and say all but Sandiford face the death penalty if convicted. |
| Sandiford, 55, who arrived on the island on a flight from Thailand, is understood to have taken part in a sting operation that led police to the other suspects, and to have told officers she only agreed to make the smuggling trip because her children in England were being threatened. | Sandiford, 55, who arrived on the island on a flight from Thailand, is understood to have taken part in a sting operation that led police to the other suspects, and to have told officers she only agreed to make the smuggling trip because her children in England were being threatened. |
| Customs officials told ITV News that Sandiford may be spared the death sentence for agreeing to help with the sting. | Customs officials told ITV News that Sandiford may be spared the death sentence for agreeing to help with the sting. |
| A small amount of hashish, 68g of cocaine and 280g of powdered ecstasy were also seized when the other suspects were arrested at separate locations in Bali, officials said. | A small amount of hashish, 68g of cocaine and 280g of powdered ecstasy were also seized when the other suspects were arrested at separate locations in Bali, officials said. |
| Jago Russell, chief executive of Fair Trials International, said footage of the five raised serious questions about the legal process awaiting them. "It is very hard to reconcile the image of those arrested being paraded in prison suits with the presumption of innocence before trial. We have deep concerns for their welfare given Indonesia's human rights record and are in contact with the Foreign Office to discuss the case," he said. | Jago Russell, chief executive of Fair Trials International, said footage of the five raised serious questions about the legal process awaiting them. "It is very hard to reconcile the image of those arrested being paraded in prison suits with the presumption of innocence before trial. We have deep concerns for their welfare given Indonesia's human rights record and are in contact with the Foreign Office to discuss the case," he said. |
| Three of the Britons arrested have already protested their innocence. | Three of the Britons arrested have already protested their innocence. |
| Dougall and Ponder – who are believed to be partners – were filmed by ITV News as they were taken by police for questioning. Dougall later shouted through the bars of her cell at Bali police headquarters: "It's a fit-up. Get us a decent lawyer." Their six-year-old daughter is now reportedly in the care of their maid and gardener on the island. | Dougall and Ponder – who are believed to be partners – were filmed by ITV News as they were taken by police for questioning. Dougall later shouted through the bars of her cell at Bali police headquarters: "It's a fit-up. Get us a decent lawyer." Their six-year-old daughter is now reportedly in the care of their maid and gardener on the island. |
| Beales, a property developer who has lived in Bali for 15 years, also denied the allegations from his prison cell. "I'm not involved with drugs. I don't know what I'm doing here. I'm scared, of course I am," he told the Times. | Beales, a property developer who has lived in Bali for 15 years, also denied the allegations from his prison cell. "I'm not involved with drugs. I don't know what I'm doing here. I'm scared, of course I am," he told the Times. |
| "This is a nightmare. I've got two little girls of four and nine and I have no idea what they are thinking about why their dad hasn't come home." | "This is a nightmare. I've got two little girls of four and nine and I have no idea what they are thinking about why their dad hasn't come home." |
| He told the newspaper he had met Sandiford only once, adding: "I don't know why she's telling these lies. Probably so she can save her own skin." | He told the newspaper he had met Sandiford only once, adding: "I don't know why she's telling these lies. Probably so she can save her own skin." |
| Asked about reports that police had found drugs at his villa, he said: "They found a bit of hash, that's all. And I don't know how it got there." | Asked about reports that police had found drugs at his villa, he said: "They found a bit of hash, that's all. And I don't know how it got there." |
| Sandiford, originally from Redcar, Teesside, was produced at a press conference, with the drugs, wearing an orange prison T-shirt and hiding her face from cameras. | Sandiford, originally from Redcar, Teesside, was produced at a press conference, with the drugs, wearing an orange prison T-shirt and hiding her face from cameras. |
| Masked, armed officers in Kuta, a town on the holiday island, flanked her as she was brought into the room and a customs official cut open packages wrapped in brown tape to reveal a white powder. The other suspects had their faces hidden behind black balaclavas and were wearing prison jumpsuits and flip-flops. | Masked, armed officers in Kuta, a town on the holiday island, flanked her as she was brought into the room and a customs official cut open packages wrapped in brown tape to reveal a white powder. The other suspects had their faces hidden behind black balaclavas and were wearing prison jumpsuits and flip-flops. |
| The customs official, Made Wijaya, said at the press conference: "After weighing, the total cocaine is 4.791kg." | The customs official, Made Wijaya, said at the press conference: "After weighing, the total cocaine is 4.791kg." |
| The drugs have an estimated street value of 23.9bn rupiah (£1.6m), he said. | The drugs have an estimated street value of 23.9bn rupiah (£1.6m), he said. |
| He said: "This is a big international network. The charge against them would carry the death penalty." | He said: "This is a big international network. The charge against them would carry the death penalty." |
| A spokesman for the Foreign Office confirmed the arrests of the four Britons and said they had already been visited by diplomatic staff who were continuing to provide consular assistance. He also said that a visit had been made to Dougall and Ponder's daughter. | A spokesman for the Foreign Office confirmed the arrests of the four Britons and said they had already been visited by diplomatic staff who were continuing to provide consular assistance. He also said that a visit had been made to Dougall and Ponder's daughter. |
| Indonesia has strict drug laws and convicted smugglers are executed. More than 140 people are on death row, a third of them foreigners. | Indonesia has strict drug laws and convicted smugglers are executed. More than 140 people are on death row, a third of them foreigners. |
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