Free after 5 years, the girl accused of Indian drug run

Daisy Angus, 26, spent nearly five years languishing in a squalid prison after being duped into carrying a case full of cannabis through Mumbai airport in 2002.

She walked free yesterday after being cleared on appeal.

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"Knowing that I was innocent and that justice would eventually prevail is one of the things I have clung on to during the past five gruelling years," Miss Angus said.

"I could not have got through this without the love and support of my family, especially my mum who has stood by me throughout, working tirelessly to get me out and prove my innocence.

"I just haven't been able to stop hugging her since coming out of jail."

Her family also spoke of their delight yesterday.

But their celebrations-were tinged with sadness because Miss Angus's father John did not live to see his daughter finally vindicated.

He died in December last year of leukaemia at the age of 53.

Together with Miss Angus's mother Nadine, he had made regular trips to visit his daughter in Yerawada jail near Mumbai.

Speaking on the family's behalf, Miss Angus's lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani said yesterday: "Daisy's acquittal notice came through on April 5 and she was released from prison this morning.

"Nadine and Daisy are ecstatic. Nadine was in tears and was very happy - finally she has got justice.

"They are very pleased that it is over and the feeling is one of relief right now. But I am sure that will change. When they sit down and think about what has happened and the awful times Daisy has been through they will have mixed feelings."

Miss Angus's ordeal began when she was arrested in November 2002.

She had flown to India with her mother and father, who was a travel consultant, then decided to go backpacking on her own, planning to fly to Australia.

A few days before she was due to leave, she met Israeli businessman Yoram Kadesh.

The 41-year-old persuaded Miss Angus, from Bournemouth, to travel with him to Amsterdam and gave her a suitcase to carry.

She was stopped by officials at Mumbai airport and 22lbs of cannabis was found in a false bottom in the case.

She said she was conned into carrying the case by Mr Kadesh, who had told her the packages were Indian incense sticks.

After she was convicted of drug smuggling last year and sentenced to ten years, Miss Angus told the court in Mumbai: "I have already served almost four years in jail for a crime I did not commit.

"This false case against me killed my father and grandmother."

To make matters worse, Mr Kadesh was released due to lack of evidence.

Family spokeswoman Edith Dey said: "There was not a very strong case against her in the first place. Her friend owned the baggage and the ticket for it was in his name. He asked her to carry the bag in exchange for a free ticket for her.

"She had seen these packages in the bag and asked him what they were but he told her they were Indian incense sticks.

"She believed him. She was misled."

Nadine, a 51-year-old nursery nurse, said her daughter was an experienced traveller having previously lived and worked in Poland, Austria, Uganda and Mexico.

She said her daughter was terrified when she was arrested then jailed.

"There is no doubt Daisy was set up. She would not get mixed up in drugs, it is not in her nature."

In her time in jail Miss Angus was hospitalised several times, suffering from malaria, suspected meningitis and other infections.

She learnt Hindi in six months and taught fellow inmates how to speak English as well as yoga, which she used to teach at the Littledown leisure centre in Bournemouth.

Miss Angus has two younger brothers, Andrew, 22, and Jonathan, 21, as well as a 25-year-old sister, Tandresse.