British ‘drug mule’ pensioner, 80, free of Chile jail over ‘essential well being’
Eighty-year-old William Eastment has been in a Chilean jail since May last year and claims he was tricked into carrying drugs. He has now been freed over concerns for his health
William ‘Billy Boy’ Eastment is to be freed from jail due to his health
The British bowls-playing pensioner accused of operating as an international drug courier has been freed from jail in Chile on medical grounds.
William ‘Billy Boy’ Eastment has been placed under complete house arrest, a court in Santiago has determined, as his case proceeds.
The 80-year-old Brit, who had been detained in pretrial custody since May last year, was moved from Santiago 1 Penitentiary following a hearing at the Santiago Guarantee Court, where both prosecutors and defence solicitors agreed his physical state had significantly worsened.
Eastment, a retired mechanic and enthusiastic bowls player, looked fragile as he arrived at court on Monday (April 20) wearing a baggy white sweatshirt, sitting stooped and following proceedings through an interpreter.
He was detained during a layover in Santiago while travelling from Mexico to Australia after police allegedly found nearly five kilos of methamphetamine in his baggage. He has continually insisted he was deceived into transporting the suitcase.
His solicitor, Macarena Vial, told the court: “He is in a very critical health situation, with chronic problems that have been severely aggravated in Santiago 1. He is a person requiring care, basically. He has a chronic lung disease, a colostomy that poses a constant risk of infection, and a series of other problems.”
Vial outlined the challenges he faces in managing his condition while in custody.
“He has a hernia right below his colostomy, which requires surgery and means he has to use special bags. They are expensive, must be brought from abroad, and the prison doesn’t provide them. Every time his supply runs out, he hasn’t had the medical supplies to contain the waste, constantly exposing himself to the risk of infection,” she said, reports the Mirror.
Obtaining supplies has proven complicated. “Obtaining colostomy bags has been quite complex. The family had to transfer funds to the embassy, and from there they bought them and sent them to Santiago. It’s a very difficult coordination because you have to coordinate with the Gendarmerie in a prison that is overwhelmed,” she added.
The court heard Eastment had shed more than three stone in weight while in custody. Vial said: “Today, he is practically no longer self-sufficient; the risk of flight is minimal.”
Under the ruling, he will serve house arrest in a shelter in western Santiago arranged with support from Chile’s Public Criminal Defence Office, where he will receive daily care and supervision.
The court also ordered measures to secure medical treatment, including enrolment in the national health system and admission to a local family health centre.
“He will be able to access his treatments and they will provide him with the medications he needs. It was a big effort, but it turned out well,” Vial said.
During his detention, Eastment battled with language barriers and depended on other inmates to communicate. His lawyer said: “For the first six or eight months, he was with someone who spoke native English, and they formed a very nice friendship. After that, he was more alone.” She added that his emotional state had fluctuated. “At first, he went through some very difficult times because he didn’t see much of a way out. But we’ve tried to support him and give him some hope that this isn’t permanent.
“Even so, he managed to build relationships within the prison. He’s someone who inspires compassion; many people have taken care of him. Right now, he’s in the best condition I’ve seen him in since he was arrested, but it’s still a very fragile condition.”
Prior to his release, worries had been growing over his health. Sources close to the case said he endured repeated episodes of pneumonia while in custody, along with other serious underlying conditions.
One source said: “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.” Legal efforts had been ongoing to prevent a full trial. “They are negotiating a shortened trial and process,” an insider revealed. “It’s essentially an attempt to resolve the case more quickly, given his condition.”
Extradition to the UK has been ruled out as unfeasible. “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.”
As Eastment entered Chile on a tourist visa, he was initially ineligible for the national health system and needed financial support to cover treatment costs.
Eastment informed prosecutors that he believed he had been approached by individuals pretending to be representatives associated with the International Monetary Fund and was convinced to travel.
His solicitor stated: “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.”
The criminal proceedings against him are ongoing.
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.
