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Michaella McCollum Connolly, one of the 'Peru Two', has given her first interview since being released on parole, blaming 'a moment of madness' for her attempt to smuggle cocaine worth £1.5 million to Europe.

McCollum Connolly, from Dungannon, Co Tyrone, looked a world away from the stony faced young woman who was caught at Lima Airport in 2013 with 24lbs of the Class A drug.

The infamous 'hair donut' do had been replaced with long blonde locks, and the 23-year-old wore a smart white blazer over ripped black jeans and a black top, opting for red lipstick with matching nails.


Michaella McCollum Connolly, 23, from Co Tyrone, has spoken for the first time since her parole, admitting that she 'could have potentially killed a lot of people' had she succeeded in smuggling 24lbs of cocaine to Spain

The 23-year-old from Dungannon, Co Tyrone, had seemingly undergone an image overhaul since being released on parole on Thursday, having served two years and three months.

McCollum Connolly and Melissa Reid, from Scotland, were sentenced to six years and eight months after admitting trying to smuggle cocaine from Peru to Spain.

'I can confirm Michaella has been released from jail and I'm waiting to hear the outcome of the judicial process,' said Kevin Winters, McCollum's solicitor, describing her prison conditions as 'horrendous'

It is not yet known whether the terms of her release will allow her to return home or if she will have to remain in Peru for some time.

McCollum Connolly was freed under new legislation on early prison release introduced in the South American country last year. 

Peruvian authorities agreed to let both 23-year-old women serve the remainder of their sentences in the UK, but the pair still remain in the South American country.


New look: McCollum Connolly sported long blonde locks,  a smart white blazer and  red lipstick with matching nails for her interview with the Irish state broadcaster

Northern Irish Michaella McCollum Connolly and Melissa Reid from Scotland were jailed for six years and eight months in 2013 after they were caught with cocaine worth £1.5million hidden in their luggage at Lima Airport 

A judicial process will now determine what, if any, conditions are attached to McCollum Connolly's effective parole, it is understood. 

While moves are being made to repatriate her to Northern Ireland, it is believed she will have to spend a considerable part of her parole in Peru. 

Speaking to Irish media on Sunday, McCollum Connolly acknowledged the potentially devastating consequences if she had successfully smuggled the drugs back to Europe.

'I probably would have had a lot of blood on my hands,' she said.

'I potentially could have filled Europe full of a lot of drugs.

'I could have potentially killed a lot of people, not directly but I could have caused a lot of harm to people.'

'I made a decision in a moment of madness. I'm not a bad person. I want to demonstrate that I'm a good person.' 

McCollum has been interviewed in Peru for a documentary that will be aired on RTE One on Sunday night.

She said: 'I've forgotten the things that everybody takes for granted in life.

'Seeing the sun, seeing the darkness, seeing the moon and the stars, things I haven't seen in almost three years.'

McCollum was released from prison at 5pm on Thursday following a successful application for parole, Mr Winters said.

The solicitor stressed she was not freed under any repatriation scheme or other protocol between Peru and the UK and that a pending judicial hearing would determine the conditions of her parole.

'At this stage it remains unclear when Michaella may be eligible to return home,' he added.

'That will be a matter for the court and a pending judicial hearing to determine the conditions of her parole. 

'We are working with her lawyers in Peru and hope to be in a position to clarify further, as soon as possible.' 

Meanwhile, Reid, from Lenzie, Glasgow, is still in Ancon 2 prison as she has asked for a prison transfer to Scotland, rather than parole.

While McCollum Connolly's legal team is applying for her to be repatriated to Northern Ireland, she may have to serve parole in Peru.

This means that while not behind bars, McCollum Connolly would have to stay in Peru for the remainder of her six years and eight month sentence.

'Michaella left the prison as part of a supervised release on parole. It's called semi libertad in Peru,' a Prison Service spokeswoman said.

'If she complies with all the conditions then she won't have to go back to prison and the process for her of completing her sentence will continue here in Peru.

'The other woman [Reid'] didn't leave jail because she is seeking a prison transfer to her home country.' 

McCollum Connolly's parole release comes three months after she was struck down with an unknown tropical disease at  the Ancon 2 prison, north of the capital Lima.

'Michaella has been brought to the hospital in the prison. She has a tropical illness but we don't know what it is,' an inmate said.

'We really hope she is ok. This [illness] is pretty regular in here, especially with the foreigners.' 


According to an inmate, McCollum Connolly had been popular with the other prisonersShe learned to speak Spanish while serving her time at Ancon 2 prison, north of the capital Lima

 

According to the inmate, McCollum Connolly had been popular with the other prisoners and learned to speak Spanish while serving her time.

The pair had previously been held at Lima's Virgen de Fatima prison but were moved to the Ancon 2 prison, where horrific conditions reportedly had McCollum crammed in to a cell with 30 other prisoners with extremely poor sanitation and toilet facilities. 

Last year, Stormont Justice Minister David Ford approved an application for the repatriation of McCollum on a number of issues, including the difficulty encountered in maintaining family contact.

McCollum, from Dungannon, and Reid, from Glasgow, were caught with the haul at Lima airport on August 6 2013 attempting to fly to Spain.

They had claimed they were forced into carrying the drugs but pleaded guilty to charges later that year.

The pair were caught trying to board a flight with 24lb (11kg) of cocaine in food packets hidden inside their luggage.

McCollum and Reid faced the prospect of a maximum 15-year prison term but struck a behind-closed-doors plea bargain to secure a shorter sentence.

 

 

Set for life.

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The drug mule's makeover: Incredible transformation of 'Peru Two' Brit as she shows off new blonde hair and smarter, slimmer look in first interview since leaving jail for smuggling £1.5million of cocaine

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3521220/I-potentially-killed-lot-people-Peru-two-drugs-mule-released-prison-reveals-bad-decision-moment-madness.html#ixzz44m5SHAlN 
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Defo got a publishing deal  in place 

 

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8 minutes ago, Gordon Gekko said:

What ever ended up happening to that WSHH girl who got violated in the restaurant in the states?

 

she caught a charge, probably getting medical help now

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