Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Jailed girl’s mum in 8hr taxi ordeal to find her
Family reveals Laura ‘being treated well’
THE mum of the British woman jailed in Egypt endured an agonising 280-mile taxi ride trying to find her daughter.
Desperate Roberta Synclair had been told Laura Plummer, 33, was locked up in the hellhole Qena prison near Luxor.
But when the 64-year-old arrived at the notorious jail – which houses jihadists, rapists and murderers – it was revealed she was still in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada.
It was there that Laura was sentenced to three years for possessing painkillers, which are banned in Egypt but legal in the UK.
Roberta had made an eight-hour round trip before being able to see her daughter back in the police holding cell.
But she was relieved to find she is “being treated well”.
One of shopworker Laura’s five siblings, Rachel, 31, revealed details of Roberta’s nightmare search. But she explained: “Mum said police had been very good.” Reports that Laura had been attacked and forced to strip after her Boxing Day court appearance were “not true”, said Rachel. She added: “My mum got to take her clothes and food, and have a visit with her.” Roberta flies home today but other family members will head for Egypt next week. Her dad Neville Plummer, 70, said: “We are satisfied with the way she is being treated.” Laura, of Hull, East Yorks, was convicted of possessing 290 Tramadol tablets in luggage on October 9. She says the pills – one of Egypt’s most abused drugs – were for her boyfriend Omar Caboo, who suffers from back pain.