British gran on death row had over £10,000 raised to help her as she awaits execution
More than £10,000 was raised for the British grandmother currently sat on death row awaiting her execution.
Lindsay Sandiford, 67, has been banged up for more than a decade after she was found with 4.8kg (10.6lb) cocaine, reportedly worth around £1.6 million, at Bali airport.
Sandiford, originally from Redcar, Teesside, was convicted in December 2013 and subsequently sentenced to death by firing squad.
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During her trial, Sandiford claimed she was coerced into carrying drugs by a gang and that she only did it because they had threatened to hurt one of her children.
Speaking to the court during her trial, she expressed regret over her involvement, stating: "I would like to begin by apologising to the Republic of Indonesia and the Indonesian people for my involvement.
"I would never have become involved in something like this but the lives of my children were in danger and I felt I had to protect them.”
Since being handed her sentence, Sandiford has been held in Kerobokan prison awaiting her execution.
In 2013, Sandiford called on the UK Government to provide funding to launch an appeal against her case, but was turned down.
In a statement at the time a government spokesperson told the BBC it does not provide funding for ‘legal representation for British nationals abroad’.
The spokesperson added: "We strongly object to the death penalty and continue to provide consular assistance to Lindsay and her family during this difficult time."
A Just Giving Page was set up at the time, raising funds for Reprieve, a charity which helped Sandiford, titled: Help Lindsay Sandiford fight for her life, and has raised £10,903 to date.
Sandiford has previously said she could face execution at any time after failing to lodge a final appeal, however, she added: “I really cannot face asking anyone for help or having to deal with another lawyer. I just can't face it. I've been burnt enough times.
“I've had 10 different lawyers. If I actually turned my mind to the legal process I would get angry and bitter and it would be destructive.”
She also said she didn’t want help from the Foreign Office - with her last correspondence with officials in Britain coming in 2016 when British Vice Consul John Makin got in touch to ask if she required any assistance. Sandiford didn’t reply.
Speaking about her fate, she said: "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."
Topics: UK News, World News, Crime
Claire Reid