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| Britons accused of Bali cocaine-smuggling point fingers at each other | Britons accused of Bali cocaine-smuggling point fingers at each other |
| (4 months later) | |
| One of the Britons arrested over an alleged plot to smuggle £1.6m of cocaine into Bali has suggested he was set up by the British woman accused of bringing the drugs on to the island. | One of the Britons arrested over an alleged plot to smuggle £1.6m of cocaine into Bali has suggested he was set up by the British woman accused of bringing the drugs on to the island. |
| Four Britons – Lindsay Sandiford, Julian Ponder, Rachel Dougall and Paul Beales – were arrested by Indonesian police after customs officials allegedly found 4.8kg (10.5lbs) of the drug in Sandiford's suitcase as she arrived on a flight from Thailand. | Four Britons – Lindsay Sandiford, Julian Ponder, Rachel Dougall and Paul Beales – were arrested by Indonesian police after customs officials allegedly found 4.8kg (10.5lbs) of the drug in Sandiford's suitcase as she arrived on a flight from Thailand. |
| Sandiford, originally from Redcar, Teesside, is thought to have told police she only agreed to make the smuggling trip because her children in England were being threatened. The other Britons were detained along with an Indian national, Nanda Gophal, after Sandiford agreed to take part in a police sting operation. | Sandiford, originally from Redcar, Teesside, is thought to have told police she only agreed to make the smuggling trip because her children in England were being threatened. The other Britons were detained along with an Indian national, Nanda Gophal, after Sandiford agreed to take part in a police sting operation. |
| According to customs officials Sandiford, 55, may be spared the death sentence her co-accused face if convicted because she co-operated with police. Ponder and Dougall, a couple with a six-year-old daughter, Kitty, have accused the Indonesian authorities of a "fit-up", while Beales has also insisted he is innocent. | According to customs officials Sandiford, 55, may be spared the death sentence her co-accused face if convicted because she co-operated with police. Ponder and Dougall, a couple with a six-year-old daughter, Kitty, have accused the Indonesian authorities of a "fit-up", while Beales has also insisted he is innocent. |
| Ponder's lawyer said his client understood that he was meeting Sandiford to collect presents for his daughter, who had turned six a day before, and had no idea that the packages contained drugs. His lawyer told ITV News: "Julian Ponder believes, you know, 100% that he was trapped by Lindsay [Sandiford]", adding that Ponder did not touch or accept the packages. | Ponder's lawyer said his client understood that he was meeting Sandiford to collect presents for his daughter, who had turned six a day before, and had no idea that the packages contained drugs. His lawyer told ITV News: "Julian Ponder believes, you know, 100% that he was trapped by Lindsay [Sandiford]", adding that Ponder did not touch or accept the packages. |
| According to the Sun, Ponder believed the gift-wrapped packages of cocaine were sweets for Kitty as they bore the message "Enjoy sweet candy". | According to the Sun, Ponder believed the gift-wrapped packages of cocaine were sweets for Kitty as they bore the message "Enjoy sweet candy". |
| Speaking from his holding cell, Beales told ITV News he was supposed to pick up Sandiford, adding that he did not believe her claims she was forced to smuggle cocaine into Bali because her children were being threatened. He has also accused her of telling lies "so she can save her own skin". ITV News reported that police have 60 days before they have to hand over their files to prosecutors. | Speaking from his holding cell, Beales told ITV News he was supposed to pick up Sandiford, adding that he did not believe her claims she was forced to smuggle cocaine into Bali because her children were being threatened. He has also accused her of telling lies "so she can save her own skin". ITV News reported that police have 60 days before they have to hand over their files to prosecutors. |
| The Foreign Office, meanwhile, has said British officials are helping the girl as well as the arrested Britons. | The Foreign Office, meanwhile, has said British officials are helping the girl as well as the arrested Britons. |
| "We are aware of the daughter of Rachel Dougall," said a spokesman. "Consular officials from the consulate in Bali have visited the daughter and will continue to provide consular assistance." | "We are aware of the daughter of Rachel Dougall," said a spokesman. "Consular officials from the consulate in Bali have visited the daughter and will continue to provide consular assistance." |
| Indonesian officials, who accuse the five of involvement in "an international network controlled from abroad", paraded them before the media at a press conference over the weekend. | Indonesian officials, who accuse the five of involvement in "an international network controlled from abroad", paraded them before the media at a press conference over the weekend. |
| Sandiford appeared wearing an orange prison T-shirt while a customs official cut open packages wrapped in brown tape to reveal a white powder. The others had their faces hidden behind black balaclavas and were wearing prison jumpsuits and flip-flops. | Sandiford appeared wearing an orange prison T-shirt while a customs official cut open packages wrapped in brown tape to reveal a white powder. The others had their faces hidden behind black balaclavas and were wearing prison jumpsuits and flip-flops. |
| Such treatment has prompted concerns about the legal process they will face. On Wednesday a legal charity expressed "deep concerns" about their welfare and fears over any forthcoming trial. | Such treatment has prompted concerns about the legal process they will face. On Wednesday a legal charity expressed "deep concerns" about their welfare and fears over any forthcoming trial. |
| "It is very hard to reconcile the image of those arrested being paraded in prison suits with the presumption of innocence before trial," said Jago Russell, chief executive of Fair Trials International. "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." | "It is very hard to reconcile the image of those arrested being paraded in prison suits with the presumption of innocence before trial," said Jago Russell, chief executive of Fair Trials International. "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." |
| 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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