British grandma who has been freed from death row after 12 years breaks her silence

The British grandma who spent over a decade on death row in Indonesia for drug trafficking has just been freed and has now broken her silence.

In May 2012, Lindsay Sandiford, who hails from Redcar, was arrested at Bali airport with £1.6 million worth of cocaine hidden in her luggage, and she was later sentenced to death by firing squad in January 2013, despite prosecutors recommending a lesser sentence due to her cooperation and possibly being coerced.

The 69-year-old, who had been on death row in Bali for over 12 years at Kerobokan Prison, maintained that she was forced into trafficking by threats to her family.

However, Indonesia enforces stringent drug laws, where death by firing squad is the maximum penalty, and appeals have been consistently rejected since her conviction.

But it is now being reported that Sandiford, alongside another Brit, is being allowed home under a repatriation agreement between the two countries.

Lindsay Sandiford has now been freed after spending over a decade on death row in Bali (SONNY TUMBELAKA / Stringer / Getty Images)

Sandiford, speaking via a pastor who has supported her case, has referred to the decision as being allowed a 'second chance' at life with her family in England.

According to the Metro, the mum-of-two is 'seriously ill' and has been examined by a doctor from the British consulate on the island, according to Yusril Ihza Mahendra, a senior Indonesian minister for legal affairs.

One of the campaigners who has supported Sandiford over the years is Rev. Christie Buckingham, a pastor at Bayside Church in Melbourne, Australia, who is currently in Indonesia.

"We are deeply grateful for the courageous compassion shown by President Prabowo Subianto and the Indonesian government in their commitment to repatriate Lindsay Sandiford on humanitarian grounds. After 12 years, she is keen to be back home with her family," she told Metro.

"She will forever be grateful for this second chance."

The mum-of-two has referred to the decision as being allowed a 'second chance' at life with her family in England (SONNY TUMBELAKA/AFP via Getty Images)

Mahendra has now signed a repatriation agreement with the UK Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, saying on Tuesday (21 October), that the transfer will take place 'in around two weeks' after both sides complete technical and administrative processes.

"Lindsay is old and sick," he told Reuters. "In prison, she had good behaviour, so that was enough reason to satisfy the request from the United Kingdom government that she be returned home and complete her sentence there."

Such an agreement has now brought to an end an ordeal that, at one point, left Sandiford fearing execution at 72 hours’ notice.

A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said earlier this week: "We are supporting two British nationals detained in Indonesia and are in close contact with the Indonesian authorities to discuss their return to the UK."

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