Cocaine Cassie Sainsbury tells of needing money, finding love after leaving prison in Bogota, Colombia
Australia’s convicted drug smuggler “Cocaine Cassie” has told more about her prison hell and how she never expected to find a partner there after walking free from jail in Bogota, Colombia.
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Australia’s convicted drug smuggler “Cocaine Cassie” has told more about her prison hell and how she never expected to find love there after walking free from jail in Bogota, Colombia just halfway into her six-year sentence due to the coronavirus.
Cassie Sainsbury, 24, was one of 4000 prisoners released by Colombian authorities to protect them from infection with the potentially deadly bug.
Sainsbury, who was arrested at El Dorado airport in April 2017 for trying to smuggle 5.8kg of cocaine packed in headphone boxes out of Colombia, walked free yesterday after three years behind bars.
As part of her parole conditions, the former personal trainer from Adelaide must remain in Colombia for 27 months, according to The Australian.
In a new video trailer (see above)`, Sainsbury told the Nine Network: “Obviously I accepted to come and do it … because I needed money… but it wasn't exactly like I came here thinking, ‘yes, I'm going to go and smuggle drugs’, it wasn't like that.”
“I wouldn't wish anybody go through everything that I've been through.”
She said she regretted what happened in Bogota, but she’s become a better person from it.
“There’s a lot of things that I regret about the situation that I was in … but everything has made me stronger that’s happened since I’ve been here,” she said.
“It’s been three long years thinking about the time when I was going to be able to walk through this door … It feels free but at the same time at the moment it doesn’t feel real.”
Sainsbury said the experience had taught her a lot about herself.
“I can say that I grew as a person,” she said in a 60 Minutes interview to be aired on Sunday. “I’ve grown up a lot. I learnt a lot about myself, I learnt a lot about people … I’ve learnt how to analyse people better.
“But at the same time, everything I’ve been through in prison, everything I’ve learnt, I wouldn’t change it because it’s made me a stronger person, it’s made me who I am today.”
Her release from Bogota’s notorious female prison El Buen Pastor was confirmed yesterday by her lawyer Orlando Herran.
Sainsbury was initially facing up to 21 years in prison, but had her sentenced reduced to six years after a judge accepted a plea deal.
She had offered several versions of how she came to be carrying the drugs, but a judge accepted her claim she had been threatened into committing the crime.
“Everything that I’ve been through in prison, everything that I’ve learnt ... I wouldn’t change it.
It’s made me a stronger person, it’s made me the person I am today.”
Another teaser trailer of the interview shows Sainsbury reuniting with her mother Lisa Evans online.
Ms Evans can be seen sitting at the laptop saying: “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you.”
Sainsbury replied: “Well the obvious is I’m skinnier.”
Footage of how Sainsbury was proposed to by her fellow female inmate Joslianinyer Pico. also aired.
Pico is seen bringing two rings on a heart-shaped pillow to her in jail as she popped the question.
Sainsbury said: “Honestly it was the last thing I expected to find in prison.”
The loved-up pair shared photos of each other together on social media.
“I promise to be faithful for the rest of my life my princess rapunsel (sic). I love you Cassie,” Pico wrote alongside a picture of their engagement rings.
It’s unclear what the status of their relationship is now after Sainsbury has left the jail.
Pico called Sainsbury by the nickname of Rapunzel.
Before meeting Pico, Sainsbury was engaged to her Adelaide-based fiancee Scott Broadbridge.
He did visit her in prison with an overnight bag and a single red rose. He also attended some of her court appearances.
In December 2017, they announced that they were even planning a prison wedding for the following spring.
But in February 2018, their relationship was over and they went their separate ways.
Sainsbury told Kyle and Jackie O Show in April: “From the moment I got in here the relationship was doomed. I broke up with Scott because it was the best thing for me and the best thing for his future as well.
“With time I needed to start thinking about myself and what I needed for myself and my future.”
Sainsbury first told the world of how sick, scared and lonely she was in her Bogota prison cell in a phone interview from jail with News Corp.
Sainsbury said she was unable to understand much of what was happening inside as she couldn’t speak Spanish.
“They are all talking about me quite obviously behind my back and they’re not afraid to push past me and push me around,” she said.
“There’s just a lot of chaos here.
“Quite a few of the inmates here are very pushy with me. They push past me. They start abusing me in Spanish because they know I don’t understand it and I haven’t actually done anything wrong.”
Despite leaving prison, she still won’t be able to leave Colombia, with airports shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sainsbury appeared to be in a hotel room or house when she did the TV interview. But it’s unclear where she is currently located.
She was being held at El Buen Pastor women’s prison, where prison riots erupted last month as prisoners called on authorities to do more to protect them against the coronavirus pandemic.
Dramatic video obtained by News Corp Australia from inside the jail showed the scene at Sainsbury’s cell block.
Inmates scream “freedom” while banging on the cell bars.
An inmate at El Buen Pastor said the riots lasted for three hours.
“The protest broke out around 9pm and women starting burning mattresses and blankets and the whole place filled with smoke,” said the inmate. She did not wish to be named because she was communicating on a contraband mobile phone.
Another inmate said from inside the jail: “It’s bad and every day is worse.
“They won’t let us go to the dispensary. They stop us going anywhere. And to make sure we don’t say anything they tear gas us.
“There’s always a tension as there’s no food and the tiny bit they do give us is so horrible its like we’re caged dogs,” she went on to say. “It’s crazy.”