Michaella McCollum, famously known as one of the 'Peru Two', has bravely shared the gruelling details of her incarceration in a Peruvian prison after being caught attempting to smuggle cocaine out of the country.
In a candid interview, McCollum recounted the horrors she faced behind bars, from overcrowded cells to violent altercations with fellow inmates. "It was a living nightmare," she admitted. "But it was also the wake-up call I needed."
From Party Girl to Prisoner
McCollum, now 30, was just 20 years old when she and Melissa Reid were arrested at Lima Airport in 2013 with £1.5 million worth of cocaine hidden in their luggage. The pair initially claimed they were forced into smuggling under duress, but later confessed to willingly participating in the crime.
"I was young, naive, and chasing easy money," McCollum reflected. "I had no idea how drastically my life was about to change."
Life Inside a Peruvian Prison
Describing her time in Ancon 2 prison, McCollum painted a bleak picture:
- Sleeping on concrete floors in sweltering heat
- Constant threat of violence from both inmates and guards
- Basic survival becoming a daily struggle
"You quickly learn to adapt or you won't make it," she said. "The psychological toll was worse than the physical conditions."
A Path to Redemption
After serving two and a half years of her six-year sentence, McCollum was released in 2016. Since returning to Northern Ireland, she's worked hard to rebuild her life, focusing on fitness coaching and motivational speaking.
"I want to use my experience to warn others about the consequences of bad decisions," McCollum explained. "No amount of money is worth losing your freedom."
While Reid has maintained a lower profile since her release, McCollum has chosen to speak openly about their ordeal, hoping to prevent others from making similar mistakes.
