Pensioner rotting foreign jail accused of being a drugs mule – race against time | World | News

A British pensioner is languishing in a foreign jail as his family and lawyers race against time to secure his release amid fears for his health. William ‘Billy Boy’ Eastment, who has been locked up since May, is said to be in rapidly deteriorating health after suffering repeated bouts of pneumonia while in custody.

The elderly bowls enthusiast, described as a vulnerable grandfather, has been accused of acting as a drug mule after allegedly attempting to transport a suitcase containing illegal substances. He denies knowingly taking part in any smuggling operation and insists he was duped by criminals. One insider told The Mirror: “His health isn’t good at all. He’s very vulnerable, and being in prison is making everything worse. There’s real concern about how much longer he can cope.”

“They are negotiating a shortened trial and process,” a source explained. “It’s essentially an attempt to resolve the case more quickly, given his condition.”

The man was arrested in Chile after authorities discovered drugs in his luggage, leaving him facing serious charges under strict local laws.

Eastment remains behind bars in Chile’s notorious Santiago 1 Penitentiary, where he has been held since his arrest shortly after arriving on a flight from Mexico, claiming he had been duped by scammers into believing he was collecting a prize.

The Welsh-born bowls and fishing enthusiast was detained after authorities allegedly discovered £200,000 worth of methamphetamine hidden in his luggage.

His legal team argue he was targeted by sophisticated scammers who preyed on his trust, convincing him he was carrying something entirely legitimate.

Since being detained, his condition has reportedly deteriorated sharply.

“The ideal scenario would have been for the prison sentence to be replaced with expulsion from Chile,” the source added. “That does happen in some cases. But under Chilean law, that simply isn’t an option for drug offences.”

He is said to be suffering from multiple health problems, with concerns mounting that time is running out to get him out of prison and into proper medical care.

Sources close to the case have warned that remaining behind bars poses a serious risk to his life and due to the fact he arrived in the country as a tourist, he is not eligible for treatment in the country’s national health system.

Relatives in the UK have described him as “gullible” but kind-hearted, saying he would never knowingly involve himself in criminal activity.

Eastman told prosecutors that he had received emails that he believed were from senior officials in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and alleges that he was approached by a woman called Carolina during a layover in Mexico.

Eastment’s lawyer said: “In these emails, a person named Carolina, whose surname he does not remember, informed him that one of his relatives in New Zealand had died and that in order to access that person’s inheritance, he had to travel to Auckland, New Zealand, to sign certain documents at a public notary’s office.”

Lawyers are now urgently attempting to negotiate a deal that could see him released or moved out of prison, but any agreement may still leave him stranded abroad under strict conditions.

The case highlights growing concerns about British travellers being targeted by international drug gangs looking for unwitting couriers.

Campaigners warn that older and isolated individuals are particularly at risk.

For this pensioner, the clock is ticking — and his fight for freedom is becoming increasingly desperate.