79-year-old Brit ‘caught with 5kg of meth’ in Chile, ball fan William ‘Bill’ from sleepy Somerset village (Image: Daily Mirror)
A British pensioner is being held in a foreign prison, as his family and lawyers work hard to secure his release amid fears for his health. William ‘Billy Boy’ Eastment, who has been in prison since May, is said to be in rapidly deteriorating health after repeatedly suffering from pneumonia while in custody.
The elderly bowls enthusiast, described as a frail grandfather, has been charged with acting as a drug mule after allegedly attempting to carry a suitcase full of illegal substances. He denies knowingly participating in any smuggling operation and insists that the criminals betrayed him. An insider told mirror: “His health is not at all good. He is very weak, and being in prison is making everything worse. The real concern is how long he can cope with this.”
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Officers reportedly found £200,000 worth of methamphetamine hidden in his luggage (Image: Daily Mirror)
“They are negotiating an abbreviated trial and procedure,” a source said. “Given his condition this is essentially an effort to resolve the case more quickly.”
The man was arrested in Chile after drugs were found in his luggage, leading to serious charges under strict local laws.
Eastment is behind bars in Chile’s notorious Santiago 1 Penitentiary, where he has been held since his arrest shortly after flying from Mexico, claiming he was duped by scammers into believing he was collecting rewards.
The Welsh-born bowls and fishing enthusiast was detained after officers allegedly discovered £200,000 worth of methamphetamine hidden in his luggage.
His legal team argues that he was targeted by sophisticated scammers who preyed on his trust, tricking him into believing he was carrying something that was completely legitimate.
His condition has reportedly deteriorated rapidly since his detention.
“The ideal scenario would have been to replace the prison sentence with expulsion from Chile,” the source said. “In some cases it does. But under Chilean law, it is not an option for drug crimes.”
He is said to be suffering from a number of health issues, raising concerns that time is running out to get him out of prison and get proper medical care.
Sources close to the case have warned that his life is at serious risk by remaining behind bars and that due to the fact that he arrived in the country as a tourist, he is not eligible for treatment in the country’s national health system.
The bowl enthusiast is said to be in poor health in a Santiago prison (Image: Daily Mirror)
Relatives in the UK have described him as “naïve” but kind and said he would never knowingly involve himself in criminal activity.
Eastman told prosecutors that he had received emails he believed were from senior International Monetary Fund (IMF) officials and alleges that he had been contacted by a woman named Carolina while he was in a post in Mexico.
Eastment’s lawyer said: “In these emails, a person named Carolina, whose surname she does not remember, informed her that a relative of hers in New Zealand had died and that in order to access that person’s inheritance, she would have to travel to Auckland, New Zealand, to sign some documents at a public notary’s office.”
Lawyers are now trying to urgently negotiate a deal that could see him released or taken out of prison, but any deal could still keep him stuck abroad under strict conditions.
The case highlights growing concerns about British travelers being targeted by international drug gangs looking for unwitting couriers.
Campaigners have warned that the elderly and isolated people are particularly at risk.
For this pensioner, the clock is ticking – and her fight for freedom is becoming increasingly hopeless.
