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Plea over Bali death penalty

The Government is to be challenged over its failure to fund legal representation for a woman, originally from Redcar, who has been sentenced to death for drug smuggling in Indonesia,

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Lindsay Sandiford to appeal Bali death sentence

A grandmother, originally from Redcar and sentenced to death by firing squad for smuggling cocaine into Bali, has notified Indonesian officials that she intends to appeal against the ruling.

56-year-old Lindsay Sandiford was convicted last week of taking 10.6lb (4.8kg) of the drug into the country.

She was accused by the court of damaging the image of Bali and received the sentence despite prosecutors only asking for a 15-year jail term.

A court official confirmed his office had received the appeal request through the head of Kerobokan Penitentiary where Sandiford is being held.

Statement from Foreign Office on representation of Lindsay Sandiford

A spokesperson for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has released a statement about the representation of Lindsay Sandiford, a grandmother from Teesside, who is facing the death penalty in Bali.

The Government is to be challenged over its failure to fund legal representation for the 56-year-old.

She has seven days to launch an appeal, but currently has no legal representation.

"We strongly object to the death penalty and continue to provide consular assistance to Lindsay and her family during this difficult time.

We have made repeated representations to the Indonesia authorities and the Foreign Secretary raised Lindsay Sandiford's case with Dr RM Marty Natalegawa, Indonesian Foreign Minister, during the recent November State Visit of the Indonesian President.

– A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesman

"We understand that, under Indonesian law, Lindsay has at least two further avenues of appeal through the courts as well as an opportunity to apply for presidential clemency should these be unsuccessful.

HMG does not provide legal representation for British nationals overseas.

However, we assist British nationals in identifying potential legal representation, including by working closely with NGOs.

We will continue to raise this case on diplomatic channels."

– A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesman

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