Schapelle Corby is not well, and will struggle with moving back to Australia, author reveals

SCHAPELLE Corby’s mental health is worse than we are aware, according to a journalist approved by the Corby family to tell their story.

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SCHAPELLE Corby’s mental health is worse than we are aware, according a journalist given official access and approval by the Corby family to tell their story in his soon-to-be-re-released book Schapelle: The Final Chapter: Coming Home.

Tony Wilson, a former journalist with News Corp’s The Gold Coast Bulletin, says the convicted drug smuggler has serious mental health issues and will not cope well with her return home.

“She’s not as well as some people think,” said the author from his Vanuatu base ahead of the re-release of his book with additional chapters later this month.

The Corbys have officially sanctioned the book.

MORE: Schapelle Corby to be jailed again, one last time

RELATED: Mercedes Corby reunites with Schapelle

Schapelle Corby in a photo taken by author Tony Wilson. Picture: Supplied/Tony Wilson

“Her mental health issues were always very serious and from the mid 2000s she had to be controlled by drugs. I don’t know exactly what regime of drugs she is on now but I do fear how she’ll deal with Australia.

“She hates people staring and pointing at her. And she hates people pointing cameras at her. Her eyes were always darting constantly. … She freaks at all of that.

Schapelle Corby pictured at the Parole Board Office for her monthly meeting in Denpasar, Bali, back in 2015. Picture: Lukman S. Bintoro

“How she’ll deal walking through a shopping mall with people pointing and staring at her I don’t know. I think it will be a struggle.”

Wilson, who spent decades covering the case, says Corby was always paranoid, but that things would be escalated in light of media and public interest on home soil.

Schapelle Corby is a photograph taken by author Tony Wilson. Picture: Supplied/Tony Wilson

“I think she the paranoia was justified because she was fearful someone would plant drugs on her again when she was released. That’s why she put up security cameras as she was fearful someone would plant drugs.

“This has taken a huge psychological toll on her and people don’t realise how bad she is.”

Wilson, who has stayed in close contact with Schappelle’s mother Ros but has not spoken with Schapelle in two years, says he expected she would share her time between her mum’s place at Loganlea and her sister Mercedes’ house in Tugan, on the Gold Coast.

A woman believed to be Schapelle Corby arrives at her house in Kuta on the back of a motorbike taxi. Picture: Zul Edoardo

Schapelle Corby's sister Mercedes heads back to the Schapelle's house in Kuta by motorbike. Picture: News Corp Australia

“Mum wants her there. Mum says she’ll be there all again. But there is also Tugan on the Gold Coast with Mercedes and the kids. And I’m sure she’ll spend time there as well. There was speculation she would spend time working in Mercedes restaurant — I can’t see that happening. She would never do anything that public.”

Wilson has had a rare glimpse into Corby’s life after becoming involved with the family only two days after her arrest in 2004 when drugs were discovered in her baggage at Denpasar Airport in Bali.

Schapelle: The Final Chapter, written by author Tony Wilson. Picture: Supplied

In the new chapters in the book Wilson says Corby turns 40 in July and it is highly unlikely now that she will ever have the family she craved in her 20s.

“Being a convicted person will limit her travel to somecountries and, as I have already said, it will probably prevent her from ever telling her full story.”

Schapelle The Final Chapter: Coming Home; New Holland Publishers Australia; RRP: $32.99