Central Lindsay Sandiford

A grandmother from Gloucestershire sentenced to death by firing squad for smuggling cocaine into Bali has lost her High Court battle.

Two judges in London refused to declare unlawful the Government's refusal to pay for "an adequate lawyer" to represent the 56 year old from Cheltenham.

Lindsay Sandiford's lawyers still have the option open to ask the Court of Appeal to intervene in her case.

Aidan O'Neill QC told the court a competent lawyer had been found who was willing to waive fees and act pro bono, but required "operational costs", estimated at £2,500, to be met.

Dismissing Sandiford's case, Mrs Justice Gloster said: "We entirely understand the deep concerns of Mrs Sandiford and her family about Mrs Sandiford's predicament in Indonesia, but we must apply the law as we hold it to be."

British grandmother Lindsay Sandiford, 56, from Cheltenham, has lost her High Court battle today over a UK Government refusal to fund her appeal against a death sentence imposed by an Indonesian court after she was found guilty of drug smuggling.

The Government has been accused of breaching the "fundamental rights" of a British woman sentenced to death in Indonesia for drug smuggling by refusing to pay for legal representation.

Two judges at London's High Court are being asked to rule that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's failure to arrange "an adequate lawyer" for Lindsay Sandiford is unlawful.

Aidan O'Neill QC said Sandiford was urgently in need of funding because she is currently without legal assistance and her family have exhausted all of their available resources.

Mr O'Neill said there was "no prospect" that competent counsel would be appointed to represent Sandiford on appeal without the Government providing some funding.

Urgent court action is being brought against the Government over funding for legal representation for a British grandmother sentenced to death in Indonesia for drug smuggling.

The law firm involved in the case says the High Court challenge is against a decision not to arrange "an adequate lawyer" for Lindsay Sandiford, 56, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.

Sandiford, originally from Redcar, Teesside, was given the death penalty by a court in Bali last week for taking 10.6lb of cocaine onto the island.

Law firm Leigh Day, which is working with the charity Reprieve, said it would cost around £2,500 to pay for an adequate lawyer to take on her case and is seeking a judicial review of the Government's decision not to pay.

Sandiford had not been properly represented since her arrest at Bali airport in May last year, when customs officers found the drugs sewn into the lining of her suitcase, it said.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has said that the Government does not fund legal representation for British nationals abroad, but Sandiford's case was being raised through diplomatic channels.

In response to a move to sue to UK government over its failure to fund legal representation for a British woman sentenced to death for drug smuggling in Bali, the Foreign Office have said:

The Government is to be challenged over its failure to fund legal representation for a British woman sentenced to death for drug smuggling in Bali, a law firm has said.

Lindsay Sandiford, 56, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, was given the death penalty by a court last week for taking 10.6lb (4.8kg) of cocaine on to the island.

Ms Sandford has seven days to launch an appeal, but has no legal representation.

Law firm Leigh Day said it is seeking a judicial review of the Government's decision not to pay the £2,500 legal expenses needed.

See also:

FCO: Legal representation not provided for British nationals overseas

Surprise death sentence for British woman in Indonesia

Capital punishment is a controversial subject in Indonesia where Lindsay Sandiford has been sentenced to death for smuggling cocaine, ABC's Indonesia Correspondent George Roberts told Daybreak.

The silent majority support the sentence, but judging by its record so far the Indonesian government is very reluctant to execute foreigners.

First, Mr Roberts was asked whether Sandiford's case was getting much coverage in the local press: