Jailed Briton speaks of 'nightmare'

Samantha Orobator, 20, was given permission to serve the rest of her prison sentence in the UK and returned home in time to give birth to her child, which is due next month.

She said in a statement: "I am enormously relieved and happy to be back on British soil. It has been an unimaginable nightmare."

She added: "I would like to thank all those who were involved in my return, including various British Government officials, for their efforts on my behalf, and for their support. Meanwhile, I would be grateful for a little peace as this has been a very traumatic experience both for me, and for my unborn child."

Orobator's mother, Jane, said: "My life has been on hold and now that she's back home I can look forward to life again. I'm really happy and delighted that she's back home where she belongs."

Ms Orobator, speaking at a press conference held by the pressure group Reprieve, said she hoped the UK Government would release her daughter from prison.

"I would be very happy if the British Government would just finish everything that they have started. If they could just release her, that's my desire for now."

Clive Stafford-Smith, director of Reprieve, said it was still unclear how Orobator had become pregnant in an all-women's prison. He claimed the trial in Laos was unfair and the said the UK Government should not accept the "insane judgment" in this case.

However, Mr Stafford-Smith admitted lawyers here have not yet had the chance to discuss the drug-smuggling charge with Orobator or why she was in Laos in the first place.

She will have to attend the High Court for her jail term in Britain to be determined.