Cassie Sainsbury wants Australia to cover legal costs as Colombia court date approaches

THE lawyer for accused cocaine trafficker Cassie Sainsbury has launched an urgent appeal for taxpayer funding as her trial date nears.

Accused drug smuggler Cassie Sainsbury remains in prison in Bogota, Colombia.

THE lawyer for accused cocaine trafficker Cassie Sainsbury has launched an urgent appeal for taxpayer funding from the Australian Government as her trial date nears.

The 22-year-old, who was caught with 5.8kg of cocaine at El Dorado Airport in April, faces up to 30 years in jail if convicted of the crime.

Ms Sainsbury’s lawyer Bogota-based lawyer Orlando Herran told The Advertiser that her defence needed urgent assistance from the Australian Government amid fears she may not receive a fair trial in Colombia.

The appeal comes as her lawyers negotiate a potential prosecution deal with the Adelaide woman set to face a possible court hearing as early as next week.

The Australian Government offers financial support to Australians in trouble overseas through prison loans.

Scott Broadbridge pictured with his fiancee, Cassie Sainsbury. Picture: Supplied/Seven.

Ms Sainsbury maintains her innocence and claims she was tricked into carrying 18 packets of headphones. She told police she was taking the headphones back to Adelaide as bridal party gifts.

Mr Herran also said a plea deal was still possible for his client but nothing was certain.

In the weeks after her arrest various details emerged about Ms Sainsbury and her ill-fated trip to Colombia.

Nine News sensationally reported that Ms Sainsbury worked at Club 220 in the months leading up to her ill-fated trip to Colombia.

The 22-year-old reportedly worked there on a “fly-in fly-out” basis, staying for just a few days or a week at a time.

Ms Sainsbury’s fiance Scott Broadbridge also told Seven’s Sunday Night he believed she was “set up as a drug mule without her knowledge” and claimed she was in Colombia working for an international cleaning company that once belonged to her uncle.

But her uncle Neil Sainsbury told the program he had never owned a business.