Middlesbrough-based Kim Hall was on her way back from a holiday on the North American continent when she was stopped by security at Chicago’s O’Hare airport, where she was due to catch a connecting flight to London.
She had been in Mexico, enjoying a week-long getaway that was paid for by two British men that she’d met on holiday before.
Authorities suspected something was up on August 18, as Hall passed through with two suitcases from Cancun.
The Brit could be spending the rest of her life in jail (Cook County Sheriff’s Office)
After the random search, Homeland Security allegedly found the suitcases full to the brim with cocaine, despite her being told that there was $250,000 (£195,000) in them, something that she claimed she was unaware of.
Hall claimed that she was told by the men, who ‘held a gun to my head and threatened to shoot’ her, that one of them had ‘lost his passport and was in trouble.’
Now, the mother has spoken out about the events, which could see her facing up to 30 years behind bars, as she cited her mental health as the reason for her erratic behaviour.
But after security officials found the drugs, she claimed that she didn’t even look inside the bag, pleading her innocence.
The beautician appeared on ITV’s This Morning to speak about the case, explaining: “It just seemed really legit and straightforward.
“I was going to go on a holiday, take a break and just do them a favour by bringing back this money to give to a member of their family.
“They just said that one of them had lost their passport and they were in trouble and needed to get some money home to their family,” she recalled.
Hall was also told that there was nothing to worry about, as the huge cash amount could be explained to customs officers.
She further claimed that the men ‘didn’t come across as being criminals’, revealing that she took them up on the holiday offer as she needed a break.
She was accused of bringing almost £200,000 worth of drugs back to the UK (Facebook)
Reflecting on the trip, she recalled: “I just had a lot going on at home at the time and I just needed a bit of breathing space so it was a breath of fresh air really to go there.
“I spent the holiday alone really for the whole week, I just met them briefly at the beginning and then I spent a lot of time on my own.”
Hall was charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance and intent to deliver it, while the amount she was transporting was over 900 grams more than the offence in the top bracket of sentencing.
Known as a Class X Felony, it carries a minimum of 15 years behind bars, or a maximum of 60.
After appearing in court in South California this month, the Brit pleaded not guilty to the charges against her, confidently stating: “My position has not changed.
“I am innocent of these charges – I did not traffic drugs.”
Featured Image Credit: Cook County Sheriff’s Office Facebook
Joshua Nair
Brit woman faces 60 years in jail after ‘bringing two suitcases of cocaine back from Mexico thinking it was cash’
She was on holiday with two British men, who convinced her to take the suitcases back for them
A woman faces up to 60 years behind bars after being caught with two suitcases of cocaine while trying to fly back to the UK from Mexico.
Kim Hall had enjoyed her break in North America, after traveling to Cancun and soaking up the sun.
However, it all went wrong for the mother after she agreed to help the two British men she was out there with bring home two of their suitcases.
She initially believed that the bags were filled to the brim with cash, but was shocked to find that it was instead full of drugs, and she now faces hard time.
The Yorkshire woman explained to The Sun that she was offered a free holiday by the two men when she met them in a previous trip to Portugal, as they explained that they had some real estate in central America.
The Brit was caught with two suitcases of the Class A drug (Cook County Sheriff’s Office)
But at the end of the week-long holiday, they asked her to bring two suitcases back with her, which they said had $250,000 (£195,000) of cash in them.
She claimed that they ‘held a gun to my head and threatened to shoot me’, and insisted later that she was not a drug trafficker ahead of a court hearing today (12 November).
Explaining her thinking, she said: “I agreed to it because there was no reason not to.
“It was just money and I didn’t see anything wrong in it, I had no suspicion that this was about drugs.”
After a mix-up with flights, the men started threatening her as they thought she was dodging the favour, as she recalled: “One of them dragged me off the bed by my hair and held a handgun to my head.
“He said, ‘I’ll f***ing shoot you.’ It was the most frightening thing I’ve ever experienced.”
They had taken her phone and passport off her, but after returning it, she got on a flight to the US.
Hall was then stopped by Homeland Security officials at Chicago O’Hare when she was catching a connecting flight on her way home. She was questioned over why she had two bags with her.
Hall now faces up to 60 years behind bars (Facebook)
They then discovered the drugs when they opened up one of the cases, as she described: “It looked like papier mache and was covered in some type of oil. My next thought was, is that cheese?
“They started to tear the cases apart and handcuffed me and took me into a room.
“I knew by then I had been set up. I was in shock.
“It was such a bizarre feeling, like I was watching someone else in a film,” she explained.
Collapsing into tears and having a panic attack, she called her parents before being told she would be deported and thrown into the slammer.
Turning down a lawyer as she ‘was telling the truth so I don’t need one’, she was kept in Cook County Jail, where the likes of John Wayne Gacy and Al Capone have been inmates in the past.
Hall was charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance and intent to deliver it, with the amount she was found with classified as a Class X Felony, the top bracket of sentencing, meaning she faces 15 to 60 years in prison.
She is expected to appear in the Chicago criminal courthouse today. A trial date isexpected to be set.
The Brit is on house arrest and is allowed out two days a week, albeit with two electronic tags.
She is expected to be in court today, and is pleading not guilty to the charges (Facebook)
Hall was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, with her psychiatrist suggesting that she was in a manic episode when she agreed to take the suitcases.
“You definitely have impaired thinking because of it and don’t really see the consequences of something bad about to happen”, the Brit explained.
“There’s no way that I would knowingly transport drugs in any way, shape or form.”
Hall’s father, John, was there with her and criticised the government for not helping, as he said: “We phoned and I eventually got put through to a support team but they said they’re not allowed to get involved in criminal investigations.
“I said, ‘She desperately needs help.’ I explained all this to them and all they did was give me a list of charities to contact.
“Nobody helped. I’m disgusted with the British Government.”
A Foreign Office spokesperson responded to the family’s claims, stating to LADbible: “We are supporting a British woman on bail in the US and are in touch with the local authorities.”
Featured Image Credit: Facebook / Cook County Sheriff’s Office
Joshua Nair
British teen facing 20 years in Dubai prison after having sex with girl on holiday
His family are appealing to the foreign secretary for help
The family of a British teen who is facing the potential of spending up to 20 years in a Dubai prison have appealed to the foreign secretary for help getting him home.
According to human rights group Detained in Dubai, 18-year-old Marcus Fakana of Tottenham travelled to the Middle Eastern city for a holiday with his parents on 26 August.
While over there he struck up a romance with a fellow Londoner who was also out there, with Marcus telling the human rights group that they ‘had a wonderful time together’ and he told his parents about the relationship but she couldn’t tell hers ‘because they were strict’.
“She had to meet me without telling them it was to see a boy,” the 18-year-old explained.
“When she left, I couldn’t wait to see her again when I got home. Then suddenly, police knocked on our hotel door. They said they were taking me in for questioning but wouldn’t tell me why. I couldn’t imagine what for. I was frightened and my parents were terrified.”
18-year-old Marcus faces up to 20 years in prison. (Detained In Dubai)
At the time of the relationship, the girl was 17 years old. and while Dubai did recently make sex outside of marriage legal for tourists, both people must be at least 18 years old.
The girl has since turned 18, but Marcus was told that her mother had reported the relationship to authorities in Dubai after their family had returned to London.
The Tottenham lad had been informed that the girl’s mother allegedly found out after looking through her daughter’s phone.
Detained in Dubai CEO Radha Stirling said the woman was ‘clearly a very strict mother to involve police in a private matter that is completely legal in the country where she lives and where the children have grown up’.
However, she added that the woman might not have known she was potentially condemning Marcus to up to 20 years in prison.
Marcus is stuck in Dubai, with his family calling on the foreign secretary to help get him home. (Getty Stock Photo)
After police arrived at his hotel room, the 18-year-old was held at Al Barsha Police Station for three days,, During that time. he was not allowed to contact his parents or call anyone.
Marcus is still over in Dubai and facing the prospect of up to 20 years behind bars, prompting requests from his family to foreign secretary David Lammy to help get him back to the UK, while they’ve been spending a lot of money to provide him with somewhere to live out there.
He said: “I’m living in Airbnbs that are costing my family £2,000 per month. They had to go home to work. They earn a humble living, my mother is a cleaner and my dad works in a warehouse.
“They saved up for this one-off holiday and they have now used all of their savings. The police demanded 10,000 AED for bail which I’ve been told is not normal and the costs are mounting.
“I’m here all alone. I pray this nightmare will be over and I’ll be home for Christmas.”
Featured Image Credit: Detained In Dubai / Getty Stock Photo
Topics: Crime, Travel, UK News, World News
Joe Harker
Family of British teen facing 20 years in prison after having sex with girl on holiday issue warning as GoFundMe hits £27,000
The family of Marcus Fakana thanked everyone for their donations
The family of a British teenager who is facing the prospect of up to 20 years in prison in Dubai have thanked people for donating to a GoFundMe set up to help him.
18-year-old Marcus Fakana went on holiday to Dubai with his family in August, and while over there he struck up a romance with a 17-year-old fellow Brit.
The girl kept this relationship secret from her parents but after they returned to the UK her mother found out and alerted the authorities in Dubai, who went to Marcus’ hotel room and arrested him.
He then spent three days in jail unable to contact anyone and on 9 December is set to be put on trial for breaking the law.
Dubai very recently changed their laws to allow tourists visiting the country to have sex outside marriage, but the minimum age in the Middle Eastern country is 18.
A GoFundMe for Marcus Fakana has raised a significant sum to help his family. (Family Handout)
While the relationship between Marcus and the 17-year-old fellow Brit, who has since turned 18 in the meantime, would have been legal back home in the UK it has landed the Tottenham lad in trouble as he could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison in Dubai.
Marcus is stuck in Dubai living in a series of Airbnbs, which is costly for his family who are also having to find money to fund his legal defence, and while he awaits trial his family have returned to the UK so they can work and support him.
To help with this they set up a GoFundMe, which you can see here, in the hopes of raising at least £20,000 and at time of writing they have received over £27,000 in just a few days.
In an update on the fundraiser they said: “Thank you so much for all your well wishes and your donations.
“This will go a long way in the fight to get Marcus back home. Marcus and his family cannot believe how generous you have all been and are super grateful to you all.”
The legitimate GoFundMe has raised plenty of money, though the family warned people about fake pages being set up. (GoFundMe)
However, there has also been a warning about a fake GoFundMe page that is being circulated online which would attempt to siphon donations away from helping Marcus.
The family also spoke out on the impact this has had on the 18-year-old, who in under two weeks is expected to begin his trial with the next two decades of his life on the line.
“What was meant to be a happy time has turned into a nightmare for him, our family, and our friends,” the family explained.
“This has happened as a result of someone trying to misuse UAE law against him. He is being charged with a crime that could lead to imprisonment for up to 20 years.
Radha Stirling, CEO of human rights group Detained in Dubai, said that Marcus didn’t know the fellow Brit was ‘a few months younger’ than him when they met on holiday.
Featured Image Credit: Family handout/Getty Stock Images
Topics: UK News, World News, Travel
Joe Harker
Daughter of British backpacker left to rot in the ‘world’s toughest jail’ speaks out on situation
Kaitlyn Henshaw has described the impact of her father’s imprisonment
The daughter of a British backpacker who is locked up in the ‘world’s toughest jail’ has spoken out about the impact the ordeal has had on her life.
John Henshaw, 39, from Greater Manchester, was travelling through South America when he was caught with a small amount of cannabis at the La Paz International Airport in Bolivia in February.
Since then, it has been reported that he is sleeping on the cold floor of San Pedro prison with dozens of other inmates and is relying on a GoFundMe page to help him to pay for a cell, food, and legal expenses.
John Henshaw has been locked up for carrying cannabis in Bolivia. Kennedy News and Media
With very little staff and inmates practically running the joint, the jail is an incredibly dangerous environment where nothing is free and stabbings are frequent.
The Brit’s daughter, 15-year-old Kaitlyn Henshaw, has spoken out about how her father’s prison time has been affecting her and her family.
She said: “I spoke to him last Saturday – he was asking about me, I think to take his mind off where he is. There’s barely anyone that speaks English there. He said it’s overrun and dirty – he has to sleep on the floor.
“I’ve sent him letters and pictures which have managed to get through, but I don’t think there are any guards on the inside.
“It’s just been really stressful as I’m constantly worrying about how he is and on top of that I’ve got revision for my exams. He said you only get one meal a day and what they give him sounds disgusting – some people don’t get anything at all.”
The Brit is being held in San Pedro prison. Kennedy News and Media
She continued: “I think he’s just fed up with the process of getting out – everything takes so long and he’s still waiting to see a judge. He has managed to buy food from other prisoners – some of them make food to get some money on the inside.
“I try to speak to him as much as I can to keep us both positive. I just want him to be safe and out of these conditions. It was my birthday a week after he was put in prison so I didn’t get to see him.
“He doesn’t like to talk about where he is too much, I don’t think he wants me to worry.”
The student is also currently doing her exams and the stress of her father being incarcerated is taking its toll on her academics and wellbeing.
Kaitlyn Henshaw has been struggling with the separation. Kennedy News and Media
John’s ex-partner, Toni Rimmer, said: “He’s a good person. It’s absolutely horrific in there.
“He can only get money in drip fed from the embassy. The only food he has been able to buy for himself is a ham and cheese toastie. He gets a bowl of broth a day, that’s it.
“You pay for the privilege of getting a cell, and he hasn’t even got one yet. I’m scared because he’s a British man. He doesn’t deserve what’s happening to him in there, he’s had no previous charges.
“It’s been nearly 50 days, I’m really worried. He doesn’t have visitors so he doesn’t have a clue what’s going on. If he’s got a load of money, he’ll just get robbed.
“His daughter is going through exams and is so stressed – she just wants her dad home safe. He’s a really good dad and his daughter is really missing him.”
John has six weeks left of his detention before a decision will be made. Kennedy News and Media
Alex Foy, the organiser of the GoFundMe page, wrote: “John has found himself in one of the worst prisons in South America.
“He’s been thrown in San Pedro, La paz, Bolivia which is featured on an episode of World’s Toughest Jails. It’s 30-90 days until they look at his case.”
Hopefully the family will be reunited soon once his 90 days are over.
A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson told LADbible: “We are providing consular support to a British man detained in Bolivia and are in contact with the local authorities.”
LADbible has previously reached out to the Ministry of Justice in Bolivia for comment.
