Afternoon:
9°c
A pregnant London woman was sentenced to life in prison for smuggling heroin by a court in Laos today.
Samantha Orobator, 20, from Camberwell, was found guilty by a panel of judges of trafficking 680 grams of heroin last August.
She could have faced death by firing squad until it emerged she became pregnant in jail on remand.
The life sentence came after a one-day trial in the Laos capital, according to Chanthaly Duangvilai, vice president of the Vientiane Court. He said she had pleaded guilty.
A British Embassy spokesman confirmed the sentence.
It is hoped Ms Orobator will not remain in Laos for much longer because of a prison transfer deal struck between Foreign Secretary David Miliband and Laos last month.
The Laos government could, however, still block the deal.
Ms Orobator was arrested at Wattay airport after boarding a flight to Thailand. According to authorities, she initially said she was pregnant by her boyfriend in England but tests disproved this.
Laos officials have claimed she may have artificially inseminated herself behind bars. She had a syringe "because of woman's problems".
Her mother, Jane, denied that her daughter had been raped or had sex with a prison guard.
Ms Orobator arrived in court wearing a blue prison outfit and smiling to reporters. Her mother looked visibly distressed after hearing the verdict.
Her daughter's case didn't draw international attention until news of her pregnancy became public last month amid concerns that she could be executed. The Laos government later confirmed that a pregnant woman cannot receive the death penalty, but officials delayed her trial because of questions about how she conceived.
It had been reported that Ms Orobator obtained sperm from a fellow prisoner to impregnate herself to avoid the death penalty. Survivors of Phanthong prison, where Ms Orabotor has been held, have told of disease, abuse and torture.
Australian Kay Danes, who spent 10 months in same cell block, said: "If she goes into early labour or starts miscarrying, nobody will come however much she screams."
Reader views (31)
So, "Mogens" of Denmark is "incredibly perplexed". Go and have a lie down, son. Or go out and cause some damage and disruption, which is what left-wing greenie hippies with nothing better to do tend to do on behalf of no-users who cause problems in otherwise civilised European nations. Of course you would give this piece of garbage (who now calls herself "British") rights and privileges above and beyond anything accorded to honest, hard-working Europeans. Which is why Europe is experiencing so many problems these days- left-wing politicians with views similar to yours (such as Britain's Milliband) have imposed their looney ideas on Europe. It will take a lot to repair the damage caused, but decent Europeans are slowly waking up to what is going on around them, and who caused it. Better late than never. A good idea would be for you and your Marxist mates to join her in prison. That way, Europe (and Denmark) would benefit.
- Bill, Sydney, Australia, 06/06/2009 07:44
Report abuse
I am so incredibly perplexed and shocked about the tone and content of the comments here. They are extreme fascist and right wing and of a nature that the UK for sure does not deserve to be associated with. Everybody bar a few commentators should be ashamed.
Of course I do not sympathise with drug smuggling but coming from and living in the civilised world I believe nobody, and no mater from what country they originate, should be subjected to such grossly unproportional sentencing. Also the debate about whether she is British or not is unreal. She is British. Many Brits have taken on new nationalities - should they then not be allowed to do that any more? Is that how you want it? Before you write more commentary of the extreme type, think about her mother and her family first. Think, please!
- Mogens, Denmark, 04/06/2009 15:56
Report abuse
Once again a innocent life is destroyed by a broken system. My heart aches for these people who have had their lives snatched from them simply because they carried a plant or some diritavitve of. When will the world realize that eth war on drugs is not working, were inprisioning good productive people, punninshing children for their parents non violent crimes, as a former drug abuser myself I can tell you that Herion addiction is punnishment enough for these people were not doing any good by imprisioning them.
- Armstrong, Chris, Vancouver Washington, 04/06/2009 03:37
Report abuse
Why don't the Laos authorities simply let her have the baby in prison, and then execute her?
- Billy, London, 04/06/2009 01:01
Report abuse
we put pressure on heroin and coccaine producing countries to sort the problems out. All these poor countries really have as a weapon are their stiff penalties for those they manage to catch. and what do we do? undermine their best efforts everytime it suits us!
In reality we should thank the Laos people for taking her off our hands and pay them the relativly low cost of them keeping her there for life.
2500 people a year die in the UK due to heroin. heroin dealers are killing far more Brits than Al Queda will. If she was a convicted terrorist would we want her back here? stupid question of course they'd bring her back 
- Barry, woking, surrey, UK, 03/06/2009 23:17
Report abuse
I am sure she regrets her actions. (Some people are pushed to commit these crimes) we do not know the reasons behind this, so let's not judge!
- L Clark, London, 03/06/2009 22:53
Report abuse
No wonder this country is so attractive to so many from outside the UK. We are a soft touch and they know it!! Why is she smiling in that pic? Maybe she can see her future? Short UK prison term, social housing, endless benefits? Easy to do drug dealing on the streets of London? Something to REALLY smile about for criminals like her!
- Paul James, Brighton, Brighton, UK, 03/06/2009 22:09
Report abuse
Fred, Allen you lot seem to be a bit narrow minded, if she born in UK/London or carries a british passport then she is from London! whether you like it or not! oh sorry to tell you this london is just as rubbish as anyway else in the world.. that smith fella down the road he is a drug dealer too.. oh you didnt know that Caucasian deal in drugs too oops sorry!
- Sixshillings, Elkton, 03/06/2009 21:06
Report abuse
Why is there talk of deport her to serve her sentence in the UK? She's in prison for smuggling Drugs, so she won't get an xbox that she would over here, my heart bleeds!
- Sukh, London, 03/06/2009 17:46
Report abuse
Why do newspapers keep on about her being from London? She is from Nigeria and why don't they take her back?
- Fred, London, 03/06/2009 16:32
Report abuse
Save everyone some money and deport her from Loas to Nigeria.
This will save her coming back here to be deported............
Oh I forgot for a second, we don't do that here as it might "infringe on her human rights".
She is a drug dealer and should have no rights here.
GET RID!!!!
- Allen, London, 03/06/2009 16:32
Report abuse
An idea for our "representatives" in Westminster to ponder:
you lot are always shooting your mouths off about democracy, so why don't we have a bit of the genuine thing for a change: let US, the people, decide in a referendum whether or not to let this "London woman" come to the UK to serve her sentence (only for her to be no doubt let out after a short period on compassionate grounds/for a retrial/on probation/medical treatment/remainder of the sentence suspended etc., etc).
Well, how about it Brown, Miliband et al? ...Too much like practice rather then mere (safe!) theory?
- Croyboy, Croydon, 03/06/2009 16:19
Report abuse
And this government are still wondering why they are on the way out.!!!
- David., Chertsey.UK., 03/06/2009 16:15
Report abuse
When is her book coming out?
- Ted, London, 03/06/2009 16:12
Report abuse
Hopefully they block the deal. First she broke the law and secondly she has used another law to her advantage. If she is sent back here what are the odds she will not serve a quarter of the term. The 'dogooders' will see to that.
- P. C., rainham. essex., 03/06/2009 15:50
Report abuse
Return her to Nigeria where she is originally from, we do not want convicted foriegn drug smugglers here.
- Dirk Diggler, Soho, London, 03/06/2009 15:28
Report abuse
"It is hoped Ms Orobator will not remain in Laos for much longer because of a prison transfer deal struck between Foreign Secretary David Miliband and Laos last month."
Not by me it isn't.
She's not British so let her rot abroad!
- Mark, South-East London, 03/06/2009 15:28
Report abuse
She'll no doubt be back in the UK soon, being supported by my taxes...and soon to be a single mother. Good here, isn't it?!
- David, London, 03/06/2009 15:20
Report abuse
"It is hoped Ms Orobator will not remain in Laos for much longer because of a prison transfer deal struck between Foreign Secretary David Miliband and Laos last month"...hoped by who, not me thats for sure.
If she does make it back to the UK, she'll be out in no time and before long she'll be trying to sell her story and get on some reality TV show. No wonder she' got a smile on her face. Nice one Milliband, she did the crime, now let her do her time in Laos.
- Alan, East London, 03/06/2009 15:20
Report abuse
Send her back over here. She'll be out of prison in six months, living in council accomodation and on benefits.
- Chris, Brighton, England., 03/06/2009 15:19
Report abuse
I'm sorry but this young woman knew exactly what she was doing smuggling heroin....did she care for the damage she would have caused to people by producing that stuff for the market???? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO and then she goes and gets herself pregnant to avoid the death sentence....sorry leave her where she is, why should us taxpayers have to keep her as if she's gotten away with it she would be living a high life....not good enough
- Sarah, London, 03/06/2009 15:18
Report abuse
Why should we take this lying, drug carrying scum back here? Let her serve her sentence in Laos.
- Shelly, London, 03/06/2009 14:48
Report abuse
I suppose the UK taxpayer will be paying for both this child and its mother throughout their lives. It is funy how Millibrand has stirred himself for this woman, yet appears to have done nothing for the guiltless Edwin Dyer who was captured in Africa, sold, and then had his head sawn off by muslim fanatics.
- Helen, norwich, 03/06/2009 14:36
Report abuse
What version of life would she serve if shipped back to hotel UK?
What kind of child is that, one created to avoid the death penalty,what a nasty person.
- Gary, brentwood 1, 03/06/2009 14:31
Report abuse
Why should we have sympathy with this person? The only concern I have is for the poor unborn child, conceived artificially to save it's mother's neck. The British Embassy should remove the poor little mite as soon as it is born and have it adopted by a decent family back home. This woman broke the law of a country known for it's harsh penalty for drug smuggling and created a life just to save her own. Now we, the tax payers, will have to pay for her incarceration and likely repatriation too.
- Jane Bewick, London, 03/06/2009 14:29
Report abuse
Guilty as sin.
How much is this going to cost us tax payers? Keeping her in prison, healthcare eventually for the unwanted child, benefits and housing when she is released after two weeks by this government. The cost of dealing with the crime to be committed by the unloved child who was brought into the world by a feckless drug smuggling mother to save her own life. A drug smuggler who could not give a damn for the destruction that is caused by heroin. Not just the individuals who become addicted to the vicious drug, but all the victims of crime that surround this antisocial behaviour committed by people desperate for their next fix.
"Australian Kay Danes, who spent 10 months in same cell block": Er.. for what crime exactly? Were you stupid enough to commit a crime in Laos also?
I admire the justice system in Laos.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 03/06/2009 14:27
Report abuse
Looks like her journey to easy street is complete. Her Laotian life sentence when translated to British will mean a couple of years followed by an early release on humanitarian grounds so she can cash in on her pregnancy. Good job she became British before she committed the crime.
- Albert Swift, Aberdeen, Scotland, 03/06/2009 14:24
Report abuse
no sympathy at all took a risk to get a quick payday to avoid a proper days work typical ducker and diver whoes come unstuck
- Chris, bromley, 03/06/2009 14:11
Report abuse
Oh come off it!!!!! when are we going to get tough. WE DON'T WANT THAT THING BACK IN THIS COUNTRY.....
let her serve her sentence out in Laos. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH US..........
- Jonny, London, 03/06/2009 14:09
Report abuse
Ms Orobator has been treated like an animal, she wanted to visit the country in the first place.
- Jessica, London, 03/06/2009 14:01
Report abuse
Does this woman have a British passport? If not let her stay in Laos, it's that simple. Why is this government concerned about a foreign drug smuggler, only our daft ultra left government would do such a thing.
- Dirk Diggler, Soho, London, 03/06/2009 14:00
Report abuse
