British grandma on death row for 12 years made sad confession about controversial execution she's awaiting

Spending over a decade on death row has given British grandmother Lindsay Sandiford much to think about.

And speaking to press recently, the 69-year-old - who was arrested in May 2012 for allegedly smuggling £1.6 million worth of cocaine from Thailand to Indonesia - issued an unexpected confession.

For those unfamiliar with Sandiford's case, the former legal secretary has been held in Bali's Kerobokan prison following her arrival from Bangkok on the day of her apprehension.

Appearing in court at the time, the Cheltenham local claimed she'd been pressured into transporting the Class A substances by a criminal gang, who'd threatened her two children.

Unfortunately for Sandiford, given that drug smuggling comes with a notoriously harsh penalty in Indonesia, she was sentenced to capital punishment and has been on death row ever since.

Sandiford claimed she'd been forced into the carrying the drugs (SONNY TUMBELAKA/AFP/GettyImages)

Over the years, the Brit's legal team ceaselessly attempted to have her conviction overturned, arguing both that she's been forced into smuggling the substances, and had been battling mental health issues at the time.

Eventually, however, it was found recently that Sandiford's funds had run dry, and that she'd had to give up her legal representation.

As things stand, therefore, if her sentence isn't overturned, she'll die by firing squad on Indonesia's 'execution island' in the coming years.

By the sounds of things, however, the grandma has reportedly began resigning to her fate.

In conversation with fellow death row inmate Heather Mack some months ago, she claimed she'd come to terms with the possibility of death.

"Dying doesn't bother me," she began, as per The Mirror. "It won't be a hard thing for me to face anymore.

"It's not particularly a death I would choose but then again I wouldn't choose dying in agony from cancer either."

Sandiford added: "I never thought I'd last this long to be honest."

Sandiford stands to be executed in Bali (SONNY TUMBELAKA/AFP via Getty Images)

During the chat, she also expressed her wish for the process to be undertaken as fast as possible.

"My attitude is, 'If you want to shoot me, shoot me. Get on with it'," she is said to have insisted.

Despite forcing herself to accept the fate she'll likely be handed in the years to come, the prisoner does hold onto some hope that she'll be freed.

Either way, she's supposedly been handing her clothes to other inmates recently, believing she won't need them for much longer.

A source previously told the Mirror: "For a long time Lindsay was resigned to her fate, but now she's dreaming of freedom.

"Foreign Office officials have spent a lot of time visiting her in prison and they're working hard to secure her freedom."

Human rights barrister Felicity Gerry KC also told press last year that there's talk of Sandiford receiving a life sentence behind bars, as opposed to a death sentence, having exhibited good behaviour since being placed behind bars.

"Indonesia is taking an important step in recognising the need to commute the sentences of those subject to the death penalty, especially women," she explained.

The mother-of-two reportedly claimed she no longer fears death (SONNY TUMBELAKA/AFP via Getty Images)

"Lindsay co-operated with the authorities and explained levels of coercion that should have at least mitigated her position.

"The government should be taking active steps to ­facilitate her return to the UK, either to serve a sentence near her family or to consider her release."

Gerry added: "Lindsay is someone who was compelled to commit a crime and she assisted the authorities so she helped identify those who were criminally responsible.

"So it seems to me she is the next person to be allowed to go home, this time to Britain. I think Indonesia is coming out of this well, recognising the modern world and moving forward.

"The real question is, what are the Foreign Office doing now in Britain? What are they doing?"

The human rights barrister resolved: "She's a British citizen who has served far more than she would serve in England and Wales whose position as a coerced defender has not been properly investigated as far as we can tell.

"We also know from previous reports she has suffered significant ill health which would be treated if she continued her imprisonment in England."