Reprieved death row mum‘s advice to accused drug smuggler Cassie Sainsbury — ‘never make a deal’

A VICTORIAN mum who escaped the death penalty in Malaysia has urged accused Colombian drug mule Cassandra Sainsbury to avoid doing deals for shorter jail time.

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A VICTORIAN mum-of-six who sensationally escaped the death penalty in Malaysia has urged accused Aussie drug smuggler Cassandra Sainsbury to avoid doing deals with police for shorter jail time.

Emma L’Aiguille, who was spared the hangman’s noose in 2012 over drug trafficking allegations, told the Herald Sun that the Adelaide personal trainer needed to stick to her story and let her lawyers fight for her freedom.

“She should never make a deal because she would be saying that she is guilty,” she said.

“If she is innocent she needs to remain strong and not be pressured into pleading guilty.”

Ms L’Aiguille, a mother of six, six spent 115 days in jail before she was set free after she agreed to turn prosecution witness.

Emma L'Aiguille after being released from Kuala Lumpur court complex after spending time in Kajang prison.

Cassandra Sainsbury during her detention with 5.8 kilos of cocaine.

Emma L'Aiguille at her lawyer’s office in Kuala Lumpur before her release.

She was arrested in Kuala Lumpur’s main tourist strip and police found 1kg of ice under the driver’s seat of the car she was sitting in.

The car belonged to her boyfriend, who did a runner when police surrounded the car.

Ms L’Aiguille said Colombian jails were tough and bride-to-be Ms Sainsbury needed to “watch her back” from other inmates.

The former nurse said out of desperation and the extreme anxiety she would be feeling, Ms Sainsbury might be tempted to cave in — even if she were innocent.

Adelaide woman Cassie Sainsbury was trying to fly home when she was arrested at El Dorado International Airport in Bogota. Picture: AAP Image/Facebook

“The jails in Colombia are worse than in Malaysia,” she said.

“She needs to keep positive — I didn’t think I would ever get out but I did. She needs to trust her lawyers and let them work it out.”

Ms L’Aiguille was released after her defence successfully argued there was no evidence she had any knowledge of the drugs.

But she had to remain in Malaysia for several months after being set free to help police prosecute the case, give evidence against another male who was in the car and help track her boyfriend down.

El Dorado International Airport in Bogota. Picture: Joe Parkin Daniels

Ms Sainsbury, 22, has been locked up in El Buen Pastor women’s prison after being arrested while trying to leave Colombia to London with about 6kg of cocaine.

Authorities found the drug hidden in her suitcase and concealed in 18 packs of headphones on April 11.

But she maintains her innocence and told her Colombian lawyer that she was set-up and given the headphones by a man called Angelo or Tom after she agreed to buy them at a cheap price for presents for her bridal party.

Questions remain over her story and lawyers have asked her to consider admitting to the charge for a shorter sentence.

If she continues to maintain her innocence and loses the case, she could be jailed up to 20 years.

Australian diplomats are working with their Colombian counterparts to strike a deal that would allow Ms Sainsbury to serve her jail sentence in Australia should she be convicted.

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Originally published as Reprieved death row mum‘s advice to accused drug smuggler Cassie Sainsbury — ‘never make a deal’