Death row gran Lindsay Sandiford lands in UK after 13 years in Bali prison

After more than a decade on death row in Indonesia, British grandmother Lindsay Sandiford has finally returned home. The 69-year-old, once sentenced to death for drug trafficking, landed at Heathrow Airport this afternoon following her release from a Bali prison.

Return after years of uncertainty

Sandiford, who spent 13 years behind bars, arrived in the UK as part of a repatriation agreement between the United Kingdom and Indonesia. Reports indicate her £600 flight from Bali, via Dubai, was funded by the government. She appeared weak and shielded her face as she was escorted in a wheelchair through the airport to waiting transport.

Conviction and sentence

A mother of two, Sandiford was convicted in 2013 for attempting to smuggle £1.6 million worth of cocaine into Bali. For years she lived under the threat of execution by firing squad before her eventual release.

Health and legal uncertainty

“In England, she will remain in prison,” said I Nyoman Gede Surya Mataram, Indonesia’s deputy minister for immigration and correctional coordination.

Indonesian minister Yusril Mahendra described Sandiford as being “seriously ill,” adding that she had been examined by a British consulate doctor before her departure. It remains unclear whether UK authorities plan to detain her further upon return. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has not provided clarification.

New beginning after death row

She previously said she was grateful to be given a “second chance” at life with her family in the UK.

After enduring over a decade of fear and isolation, Sandiford’s return marks the start of a new, uncertain chapter in her life.

Author’s Summary: Lindsay Sandiford, a British grandmother once on death row in Bali, returned to the UK after 13 years imprisoned for drug smuggling, facing fragile health and unclear prospects.

Metro — 2025-11-07