The fiancé of accused drug smuggler Cassie Sainbury has addressed the media in a press conference.
Scott Broadbridge, 23, would not take questions from reporters but he read out a statement about his fiancée, 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.
Cassie pictured after her arrest. Source: 7 News.
It comes as the manager of the Bogota hotel where Cassie spent her final night of freedom says she rarely left her room.
Ingrid Hernandez said the Australian-native drew attention from hotel staff as she arrived without a reservation and paid for her accommodation only two days at a time.
“She was alone most of the time in her room. I remember once she went and brought McDonalds back to eat,” she said.
Ms Hernandez also described the man who is accused of tricking Cassie into packing 5.8kgs of cocaine into her suitcase, believing the package contained headphones for her bridal party.
“Normal height, normal build. He could have been in his late 20s, 30s. He had short brown gelled hair,” she said.
She added that the well-dressed Columbian male was Cassie’s only visitor at the $50 a night lodging.
Cassie is said to be “scared” and cries a lot as she remains in notoriously overcrowded El Buen Pastor Prison which is home to more than 50,000 criminals.
If she maintains her innocence, she faces a sentence of up to 20 years in a Colombian jail.
Scott Broadbridge added in the press conference: “She is concerned about the conditions of the jail which are not ideal, and it is very difficult for her not knowing anyone in the country.”
He said he hoped to travel to Colombia soon.
More as we get it.
