Ms Silva, travelling from the Philippines, was handed over to the Australian Federal Police after customs determined there were amphetamines in three packets of lemon-flavoured iced tea. Follow-up tests, however, were negative, and prosecutors withdrew the charge of importing drugs.
A tearful Ms Silva clung to a female prison guard as she was led through the court to a waiting friend.
Photo from here.
"She's a totally innocent young lady who has experienced five days in an horrendous situation having her liberty taken away and placed in cells with some serious offenders," said her lawyer, Michael Penna-Rees. "She's traumatised, she's lost a lot of weight and she'll be seeing a doctor."
He said the tea was purchased in a Philippine supermarket and had never been opened.
Melbourne Judge Jack Vandersteen ordered the director of public prosecutions to pay 5,000 Australian dollars ($4,600) to Maria Cecilia Silva for her ordeal.
2 comments:
I can only hope thats not the Australian prison guard with her in the picture...
It must have been for 'High Tea'
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