**British Grandmother on Bali Death Row Shares Her Stark Final Wish as She Awaits Execution**
A British woman facing execution in Indonesia has revealed her grim final wish after spending more than a decade on death row, sparking renewed debate about the harsh realities of international drug laws and capital punishment.
Lindsay Sandiford, 64, was arrested at Bali’s airport in May 2012 after customs officers found 4.8kg of cocaine, with a street value estimated at £1.6 million, concealed in her luggage. Speaking from within the oppressive confines of Bali’s notoriously overcrowded Kerobokan Prison, Sandiford has come to terms with her fate, expressing her acceptance of the firing squad execution she is scheduled to face.
The former legal secretary, originally from Redcar in the North East, relocated to India in 2012 following personal and financial turmoil in the UK. Sandiford’s life changed irreversibly when she was detained after arriving in Bali from Bangkok. Her case quickly captured international attention as she claimed criminal gangs had coerced her into smuggling drugs under threats to her family, a defence that fell on deaf ears in the Indonesian courts.
Despite her cooperation with the Indonesian police—including assisting in a sting operation that led to the arrest of British antiques dealer Julian Ponder—judges sentenced Sandiford to death in January 2013. The severity of her punishment shocked many, given the prosecution’s own recommendation of a 15-year jail term rather than execution.
Legal efforts to commute her sentence have been unsuccessful. Crowdfunded appeals secured legal representation to contest her conviction and sentencing at both the local and Supreme Court level, but all appeals were ultimately dismissed. Consequently, Sandiford remains among over 130 inmates on Indonesia’s death row, with the country’s last executions having been carried out in 2015. In most instances, those sentenced to death wait in limbo for years—sometimes decades—before their final punishment is administered.
Life inside Kerobokan Prison is fraught with fear and uncertainty. Originally built for just 300 inmates, it now houses more than 1,400. Violence, riots, and harsh conditions have become hallmarks of daily existence. Sandiford, seeking both purpose and income, spends her time knitting and selling her crafts to help fund ongoing legal costs. She has even used these skills to teach fellow inmates and maintain a sense of community amid the hardship.
Over the years, isolation has taken its toll on Sandiford’s mental health. Reports from other inmates, including American Heather Mack—herself notorious for her involvement in a high-profile murder—suggest that Sandiford has withdrawn, spending much of her time alone. Witnessing the abrupt execution of two rehabilitated prisoners deeply affected her, forcing her to confront the reality that her own life could be ended in the same manner with little warning.
Perhaps most heartrending are Sandiford’s final wishes. In conversations with those close to her, she has stated unequivocally that she does not want her family present at her execution, preferring that “no fuss at all” be made. She has come to terms with her circumstances, stating: “It won’t be a hard thing for me to face anymore. It’s not particularly a death I would choose but then again I wouldn’t choose dying in agony from cancer either. My attitude is, ‘If you want to shoot me, shoot me. Get on with it.’”
Despite the looming shadow of execution, Sandiford has shown moments of gratitude, saying she feels “blessed” to have witnessed her sons grow into adulthood and to have met her grandchildren. Her stoicism in the face of such adversity is striking, yet it underscores the harsh and immutable reality awaiting many foreigners caught by Indonesia’s strict anti-drug laws.
The renewed focus on Sandiford follows the arrest of other British nationals on similar charges, driving home the risks involved in drug trafficking within jurisdictions where capital punishment remains in force. Sandiford’s story continues to serve as a sobering reminder of the severity of Indonesia’s penal system, where the ultimate penalty awaits those found guilty of trafficking narcotics.
As she awaits her fate, Lindsay Sandiford’s words remain a stark testament to resilience and acceptance under the most unimaginable circumstances—a narrative that provokes continued debate and reflection about justice, punishment, and the human cost of the international war on drugs.