The case against British pensioner William "Billy Boy" Eastment, 80, accused of smuggling methamphetamine worth £200,000 into Chile, is set to be formally closed tomorrow on health grounds, allowing him to return to the UK. However, concerns remain about his ability to afford the flight and endure the 14-hour journey due to his frail health.
Appeal successful on health grounds
Eastment, a retired heavy goods vehicle and bus fitter from Milborne Port, Somerset, was arrested in May last year at Santiago airport after authorities discovered methamphetamine hidden in his luggage. He had been held for nearly a year in Santiago 1 Penitentiary, a tough prison, but won an appeal to be freed after claiming he was tricked into smuggling the drugs. His legal team argued that his health had seriously deteriorated behind bars, citing repeated bouts of pneumonia and underlying conditions.
A source close to the case said: "His health isn’t good at all. He’s very vulnerable, and being in prison is making everything worse. The biggest issue he has now is finding the money for a flight home and whether he can survive the 14-hour flight home."
Legal process ends without trial
Earlier, Eastment had been placed under house arrest after Judge Lilian Saez Lemari ordered police to monitor his compliance in a working-class neighbourhood on the southern outskirts of Santiago. But his lawyers pressed for the case to be resolved altogether, arguing that his age and health made a lengthy legal process unsafe. The court will now formally close the case, clearing the way for Eastment to leave Chile and return to Britain.
The aim was to resolve the case quickly because of Eastment’s condition, with lawyers seeking a compromise to avoid a full trial. Extradition was not considered a realistic option, as officials warned any such process could take years. "The ideal scenario would have been for the prison sentence to be replaced with expulsion from Chile," a source said at the time. "That does happen in some cases. But under Chilean law, that simply isn’t an option for drug offences."
Financial and medical struggles
Eastment’s arrest shocked neighbours in his quiet Somerset cul-de-sac and friends who knew him as a fishing and bowls enthusiast. He told authorities he had been duped by scammers who convinced him he had won a prize and needed to travel abroad, and that he had no idea drugs were in his luggage. While detained, he faced significant financial difficulties. His only income was his UK state pension, but he could not access it from Chile. "He’s no longer receiving his pension and has no way of accessing it from Chile," the source said. "He doesn’t have any income at all."
Because Eastment entered Chile as a tourist, he was not eligible for the country’s national health system, leaving him with medical bills he could not cover. Officials required a financial guarantor before he could be released from prison. "The problem is he needs a family member to step forward and act as guarantor for his healthcare bills," the source explained. "Without that, he cannot be released. The problem is that they are having trouble tracking down close family."
Return home imminent
The expected closure of the case now brings an end to months of legal efforts and clears the path for Eastment to fly home. However, concerns persist about his ability to arrange and afford the flight, as well as his physical capacity to endure the long journey back to the UK.
