Mother's 'living nightmare' ends as drugs charge Briton is freed

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,2052477,00.html
Jamie Doward and Jeananne CraigSunday April 8, 2007 The Observer
The mother of a British woman jailed for drug smuggling in India told yesterday of how she had woken up from a 'living nightmare' when she heard that her daughter was to be freed.
The Bombay high court acquitted Daisy Angus, 26, a French-born British citizen, of attempting to smuggle 10 kilos of hashish out of India to Europe. She has been in prison since she was arrested by the Indian authorities in November 2002, attempting to travel to Berlin with an Israeli, Yoram Kadesh, whom she met on the internet.


At her trial last year she said that the bag belonged to Kadesh, but he denied the claim and was acquitted. His whereabouts are unknown. Angus, from Southbourne, West Sussex, was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment. Her father, John, died of leukaemia two years ago but she was refused permission to return home for his funeral.
During her appeal hearing last Thursday, the court heard that Kadesh and his brother were known drug dealers. Kadesh's KLM North-West Airline ticket to Berlin had two baggage tags attached to it, one of which was found in Angus's possession. Her defence team said Kadesh offered to pay for her airline ticket if she would carry his bag in return. When she had inquired about the contents of the bag, she was told that the slabs of hashish were incense sticks.
'After nearly five years of litigation, we have finally got justice,' said her mother, Nadine, who collapsed in the courtroom as the verdict was read out.
Angus's family have expressed anger at the time it took for her case to be heard, but Catherine Wolthuizen, chief executive of Fair Trials Abroad, which campaigned for her release, said that this was not unusual: 'The Indian justice system often involves lengthy delays before the trial and during the case. It can take many years for an appeal to be heard again.'