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Following sensational claims from a prison guard inside El Buen Pastor prison that Cassie Sainsbury has been “bullying” another inmate, another fellow prisoner has now come forward and said she is “causing problems” within the notoriously overcrowded jail.
It’s all because other prisoners feel she’s getting special treatment with family visits and is courting the publicity.
Indeed, media attention towards the 22-year-old from Adelaide has reached fever pitch with both Channel Seven and Channel Nine paying huge amounts to get Cassie’s family to Colombia to be with her in exchange for juicy exclusive interviews.
This has angered fellow inmates, with one telling News Corp, “There is a lot of tension in the jail.”
“Cassie is causing problems,” the prisoner continued.
“She’s saying that people are robbing her, extorting her and abusing her. If someone stole something at the beginning, that’s normal, it’s about power. But it’s not happening anymore and she’s saying those things because she wants attention.
“I’ve seen this so many times with foreigners. They think that if they cry and do a big show for the cameras, they will get out in a couple of months, but it isn’t going to happen. They have at least four years behind bars, and pulling puppy eyes for the cameras isn’t going to change that.
“And now that her family is here, it’s like she’s acting up for the cameras, saying things are happening to her that aren’t. She’s just being melodramatic.”
The prisoner also said Cassie will be “treated differently” now she’s “pulled favours” and been allowed visitors on non-visitor day, but she did not elaborate on what being “treated differently” will entail.
Both Channel Seven and Channel Nine are expected to air their ‘Cocaine Cassie’ exclusives this Sunday.
Earlier:
Cassie Sainsbury has been reunited with her fiancé, mother and sister for the first time since she was arrested with nearly six kilograms of cocaine packed into her suitcase.
The accused drug smuggler’s fiancé, Scott Broadbridge, was the first to be granted access to the El Buen Pastor women’s prison, Bogota, on Monday, after a series of paperwork issues.
Broadbridge arrived to the notoriously overcrowded facility in a white van accompanied by a crew from Channel 7’s Sunday Night, after signing an exclusive deal with the program to explain his partner’s side of the story.
He carried with him an overnight bag, a single red rose and a plastic bag filled with food.
The 23-year-old spent approximately one hour behind bars with Cassie before leaving the facility without comment.
Shortly after Broadbridge left the prison, Cassie’s mother and sister were granted access along with their Sydney-based lawyer, Jay Williams.
Lisa Evans and daughter Khala Sainsbury spent just over an hour inside the facility and declined to comment to waiting media as they exited.
Cassie is said to be furious with Lisa and Khala as they reportedly secured a lucrative 60 Minutes tell-all interview without consulting her.
The 22-year-old from Adelaide hadn’t seen any of her family members since she was found with 5.8kg of cocaine at El Dorado Airport on April 11.
Cassie’s mug shot (L) and Cassie pictured laughing from prison gates (R).
It comes as a prison guard from the El Buen Pastor prison sensationally labelled Cassie a liar and an attention-seeker.
“She’s not my most difficult prisoner, but I don’t like her lies,” the female guard, who wished to remain anonymous, told 9 News.
Cassie claimed she’d been getting bullied after a picture of her emerged with a cellmate.
Cassie is pictured next to her luggage where nearly six kilograms of cocaine were discovered. Image via 7 News.
“I made a complaint to the guards about it because I didn’t give permission for a photo to be sent out and they confiscated a mobile phone,” Cassie said.
But the prison guard Cassie “wanted to take the picture” and it was her bullying the girl in the picture. “She is bullying another prisoner for taking a picture with her,” the guard said.
She also accused Cassie of lying about not being able to access medical facilities:
“That’s a lie. Every prisoner gets checked out for their health. She has access to private doctors too if she wants,” she told 9 News.
More as we get it.
