British national Lisa Stocker, along with her accomplices, is set to be deported from Bali in the coming days after being spared from facing the firing squad for their involvement in a cocaine smuggling scheme worth £300,000.
The 39-year-old mother of three, Stocker, her partner Jon Collyer, 39, and their associate Phineas Float, 31, were at risk of execution under Indonesia’s stringent anti-drug laws following their sentencing in August. The trio was apprehended while attempting to transport 992 grams of cocaine concealed in 17 packets of Angel Delight dessert into the Indonesian island.
Despite admitting to smuggling drugs into the country, a judge at Denpasar central court opted not to impose the death penalty on them. Instead, they were sentenced to a year in prison before being deported back to the UK, taking into account the time already served. They are expected to return to the United Kingdom next month.
An undisclosed source mentioned, “The three individuals should consider themselves fortunate. Others have spent extended periods incarcerated for similar offenses, with some even facing the death penalty.” According to court records, Float agreed to participate in the smuggling operation in exchange for a meager reward of 500,000 Indonesia Rupiah, equivalent to approximately £22.50.
Prosecutor Made Umbara, despite Indonesia’s strict drug laws, advised Judge Heriyanti against issuing the death penalty. This decision showcases a significant display of leniency by Indonesian authorities, known for their firm stance against drug trafficking, which has garnered international criticism. The suspects, all hailing from East Sussex, pleaded guilty to the smuggling charges.
Stocker and Collyer were apprehended at Bali’s international airport on February 1 after security personnel detected suspicious packages during a routine X-Ray scan of their luggage. The couple, who had traveled from the UK via Qatar, claimed they were unaware of the drugs in the packages and believed they were delivering British delicacies to a friend.
Following their arrest, Stocker and Collyer cooperated with Indonesian authorities, assisting in the arrest of their associate. Float was captured on February 3 when he arrived at the Grand Mas Airport Hotel car park to retrieve the contraband.
The release and imminent deportation of the individuals occurred shortly after another British drug mule, Lindsay Sandiford, 69, was released from death row after serving 13 years in prison. Sandiford, who was caught with £1.6 million worth of cocaine in 2012, spent over a decade in Bali’s notorious Kerobokan prison.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper successfully negotiated with Indonesian authorities to secure the release of Sandiford in October. She was repatriated alongside another British citizen, Shahab Shahabadi, 35, who had been serving a life sentence since 2014 in connection with an international drug trafficking investigation.
Both individuals have reportedly faced severe health issues. While the Foreign Office has not disclosed whether Sandiford will be detained or released upon her return, Indonesian officials indicated that she would be transferred to a UK prison, implying further incarceration.
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