Appeal bid by British grandmother facing firing squad
Lindsay Sandiford's lawyer says her sentence is "not fair" and has launched an appeal after her conviction for drug smuggling in Bali.
Lindsay Sandiford's lawyer says her sentence is "not fair" and has launched an appeal after her conviction for drug smuggling in Bali.
The last of four British nationals accused of drug offences in Bali has been sentenced to six years in prison.
Inside the Bali prison where British woman Lindsay Sandiford is being held after being sentenced to death for drug trafficking.
British grandmother Lindsay Sandiford has lost her appeal against her death sentence in Bali for drug trafficking.
The 56-year-old was convicted in January by a district court and sentenced to face a firing squad. The Bali High Court has rejected an appeal.
Sandiford, who was arrested after a flight from Bangkok in May 2012, was convicted of smuggling 4.8kg (10.6lb) of cocaine.
She was accused of being at the centre of a drugs ring involving three other men.
She says she was coerced into smuggling the cocaine.
Lindsay Sandiford's lawyer says her sentence is "not fair" and has launched an appeal after her conviction for drug smuggling in Bali.
Read the full storyThe lawyer representing Lindsay Sandiford has said that she will be "devastated" by today's High Court loss against the government's refusal to fund her appeal against her death sentence.
Richard Stein from Leigh Day said:
– Richard Stein, Leigh DayMrs Sandiford and her sister, both out in Bali, will be devastated by this decision. Whilst we have a judgment, we do not have the reasons for it.
We await these before being able to formulate an appeal to what we believe is a fundamentally flawed decision.
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 has lost her High Court battle today over a government refusal to fund her appeal against a death sentence imposed by an Indonesian court, after she was found guilty of drug smuggling.
Mrs Justice Gloster said that the court understood "the deep concerns of Mrs Sandiford and her family about Mrs Sandiford's predicament", but her case was dismissed for reasons to be given on Monday.
Aidan O'Neill QC said Sandiford was urgently in need of funding because she does not have legal assistance and her family have exhausted all of their available resources.
British grandmother Lindsay Sandiford has lost her High Court battle today over a government refusal to fund her appeal against a death sentence imposed by an Indonesian court, after she was found guilty of drug smuggling.
13 British nationals have received death sentences in foreign countries and 51 more are potentially facing the same sentence, according to evidence submitted to the High Court by the FCO.
Aidan O'Neill QC said it was suggested that FCO assistance would "open the floodgates" and create several difficulties.
However, he suggested that the amount being sought to meet the costs of an Indonesian lawyer for Lindsay Sandiford was not a substantial amount of money.
Martin Chamberlain, appearing for the FCO, said it would be difficult to limit a strategy of providing assistance to death sentence cases.
He said there would be pressure to extend the scheme it to other human rights cases where the "human dignity" of other British nationals came under threat.
During a hearing at London's High Court, Aidan O'Neill QC said that a competent lawyer has been found in Indonesia for Lindsay Sandiford who has been sentenced to death for drug smuggling,
Mr O'Neill said that the lawyer is willing to waive fees and act pro bono, but requires "operational costs" estimated at £2,500 to be met.
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.
– Richard Stein, Leigh Day law firmThe Government has a duty to ensure that the human rights of British citizens are protected and that those sentenced to death, or suspected of or charged with a crime for which capital punishment may be imposed, have adequate legal assistance at all stages of the proceedings.
"This judicial review will challenge the Government's refusal to fund the £2,500 in expenses it would cost for a qualified Indonesian lawyer to represent Lindsay in her appeal against execution by firing squad which will take place on the beach in Bali if the Government do not act."