Family of Hull woman on drugs charge in Egypt jail apologise to government

THE FAMILY of a woman held in custody in Egypt accused of smuggling drugs has apologised to the Egyptian government. In a statement released to

newspaper, Laura Plummer’s sister Rachel said: “We would like to apologise for bringing such trouble into your country.”

Miss Plummer, from Hull, was arrested at Hurghada airport with just under 300 tablets of the opiate Tramadol in her luggage on October 9. The painkillers, available only on prescription in the UK, were said to be for the use of her Egyptian boyfriend who has a bad back.

The family praised the “fairness and just manner the Egyptian justice system has shown Laura” and said they realised she had “unintentionally done wrong in the eyes of the Egyptian authorities”. But they insisted her actions were “totally innocent”.

Her MP, Karl Turner, who represents Hull East, said: “I think it is right that we acknowledge that the Egyptian authorities are treating her fairly, full stop.”

A date has not yet been confirmed for a trial. The MP last week met Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson to discuss the case.

He said: “I was impressed by his knowledge of the case and he assured me that his officials were working hard, that she is being treated fairly and he has spoken to his counterparts in Egypt to make representations. But the reality is there is only so much government officials and Ministers can do, whether it is Egyptian or British Ministers. The judiciary is impartial, independent from the Government and must come to a decision free and unencumbered from interference.”