The first pictures of accused drug smuggler Cassie Sainsbury inside her Columbian jail cell have been released.
In the images, obtained by Nine News, Cassie is pictured in a floral-print shirt as she smiles alongside an unidentified inmate. The prisoner reportedly gave Cassie the red and brown t-shirt she wears in the photos as a “welcome gift”.
The photographs were reportedly taken on Patio 5, a section of the El Buen Pastor women’s prison where mostly foreign inmates and “higher-class” Colombians are held.
Image via Nine News.
Image via Nine News.
Patio 5, on the second floor of the Bogota prison, demands a higher set of standards to the rest of the facility. It’s understood inmates in this section must report for roll-call each morning, take daily showers, cannot take drugs and have access to their own beds.
A prison source told the publication Cassie is crying less, smoking regularly and is beginning to adjust to life in prison. They added that she has been assisted by her English-speaking Slovenian cellmate.
It comes as her Colombian lawyer revealed she’s applied for legal aid to help pay for the presumably mounting legal bills.
Orlando Herran, the Colombian lawyer for the 22-year-old, told The Daily Telegraph:
“They are looking for state funds in Australia for the legal costs, so she was signing a form for that to put before the government there,” he said.
“I have no idea how much they are looking for. It is to cover the lawyer’s fees in Australia.”
Cassie, who worked as a personal trainer in Adelaide and is a former volunteer firefighter, was discovered with 5.8kgs of cocaine packed into her suitcase as she tried to fly home to Australia on April 11 from El Dorado International Airport.
She alleges an unknown male duped her into smuggling the nearly six kilograms of drugs, under the belief the package contained headphones for her bridal party.
Image via 7 News.
Pictured are the 18 bags of cocaine found concealed within headphones in Cassie’s luggage. Image via 7 News.
Cassie’s fiancé addressed the media in a press conference on Friday.
Scott Broadbridge, 23, would not take questions from reporters but he read out a statement about Cassie, his voice breaking at times.
“I would just like to say I have no doubt that Cass is innocent of these charges and I will support her no matter how long this takes,” Scott said.
“Cass and I are engaged to be married and I intend to marry her.”
“Cass is a delight of my life, I know that she is not involved in the drug trade and know that she was not deliberately taking drugs or carrying drugs anywhere.”
“It is extremely stressful for her but we are able to talk every day and that is a great comfort to both of us,” he said.
More as we get it.
