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What happened to British gran who spent more than 10 years on death row in Bali awaiting firing squad
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Here's what happened to the British grandmother who was placed on death row in Bali, Indonesia, for trafficking drugs.
Back in 2013, Lindsay Sandiford was thrown behind bars on the Southeast Asian island after being found in possession of $2.14 million worth of cocaine.
Police officers discovered the Class A drug hidden in a false bottom of her suitcase after arriving from Thailand.
Now 70, the Brit had claimed that she only chose to carry the drugs after a drug syndicate threatened to kill her son.
But after spending 12 years on death row, where she awaited death by firing squad, the Brit was repatriated on “humanitarian grounds” following an agreement between the British and Indonesian governments.
She was released alongside fellow British national Shahab Shahabadi, who had been serving a life sentence for drug offences.
Why was Sandiford arrested?
Sandiford had been facing execution after being sentenced to death in 2013, after allegedly attempting to smuggle kilos of cocaine into the country.
She spent over 12 years inside Bali's notorious Kerobokan prison before she was finally allowed to return home.
The grandmother was arrested at Denpasar airport in Bali in 2012 after customs officials discovered 4.8kg of cocaine hidden inside the lining of her suitcase.
Sandiford insisted she had been forced into transporting the drugs by a British criminal gang, who said they would kill one of her two sons if she refused to cooperate with their demands.
According to human rights charity Reprieve, she had been exploited due to mental health issues.
On the other hand, Indonesian authorities claimed she was involved in an international drug-trafficking network that covered countries such as Colombia, Thailand and Peru.
The Teesside grandma reportedly spent her time behind bars knitting clothes and making toys for her grandchildren, charities, and church groups.
Statements from officials
Criminologist Jennifer Fleetwood submitted an expert statement to the Indonesian court before Sandiford's sentencing, working with Reprieve to do so.
"I worked alongside Reprieve and provided an expert statement to the Indonesian court in 2012," she told Metro, adding: "I was deeply shocked when she was sentenced to death."
Fleetwood, of City St George’s, University of London, added: "It was always my assessment that her account of being coerced was credible and so the death penalty was disproportionate,
"I am so pleased to hear that Lindsay Sandiford will be repatriated.
"She has served a very long sentence indeed. I wish her all the best as she prepares to return home to her family."
"It is wonderful news if an agreement has been reached that means Lindsay and Shahab will be returning to the UK," said Christopher Stacey, chief executive of Prisoners Abroad.
He added: "Lindsay has spent over a decade in prison in incredibly difficult conditions – they can be significantly overcrowded, there is little access to basic levels of food and medical treatment seems virtually non-existent unless you can pay for it.
"People that Prisoners Abroad have supported in prison in Indonesia have not survived their sentence."
He hoped that there would be a reversal in a trend showing a drop in the number of overseas British prisoners being repatriated back home.
"We hope that this news will help lead to a formal prisoner transfer agreement with Indonesia that will enable British nationals to complete their sentence in the UK," he stated.
Stacey then credited UK government officials for their part in the decision, which was reported at the end of 2025.
Sandiford on the death penalty
While Sandiford spent time behind bars, she admitted that dying didn't bother her.
"Dying doesn’t bother me. What I am uncomfortable about is the public humiliation," she claimed.
"You’re dragged halfway around the country and paraded in front of the press before being executed and that will be the worst thing for me."
The grandma added: "My attitude is 'If you want to shoot me, shoot me. Get on with it.'
"I’ve done a terrible thing, I know, but the worst thing is the ritual public humiliation they seem to enjoy."
She previously opened up about meeting her two-year-old granddaughter, Ayla, in 2015, in a room while in prison.
"I know this may be the first and last time I ever hold my granddaughter," she said emotionally at the time.