Brit jailed in Egypt over illegal painkillers 'to be freed after pardon'

A British woman jailed in Egypt is reportedly preparing to be freed within the next two days.

Laura Plummer, 33, from Hull, was sentenced to three years in prison for taking 290 Tramadol tablets into the country.

But, according to The Sun, her family understand she will be saved from serving the rest of her sentence after being pardoned by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

The paper says the president, who can issue pardons to prisoners as part of Egypt's Revolution Day celebrations, is expected to announce her release on Saturday.

Sister Jayne Synclair told The Sun: "We can't believe it's over. We've prayed for this day since she was arrested.

"We just want to get her home."

Ms Plummer is reported to have told her family in an emotional phone call: "I never thought this day would come. I'd given up hope."

The shop worker was arrested at the airport on October 9 last year when she flew into the Red Sea resort of Hurghada.

She was handed her jail sentence by judges on Boxing Day, nearly three months after she was found to be carrying the Tramadol tablets in her suitcase, a painkiller which is legal in the UK but banned in Egypt.

The court was told she was taking the tablets for her Egyptian partner Omar Caboo, who suffers from severe back pain, and had no idea what she was doing was wrong.

A spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: "We continue to provide assistance to Laura and her family, and our embassy remains in regular contact with the Egyptian authorities."