Laura Plummer: Family of British tourist ‘facing the death penalty’ in Egypt fear she ‘will be murdered or kill herself’

'She couldn't speak properly and was wearing the clothes she travelled in,' says sister Jayne Sinclair

The family of a British tourist who is “facing the death penalty” for taking prescription painkillers into Egypt have said they fear she “will be murdered or kill herself” in prison.

Laura Plummer, 33, from Hull, was arrested when border guards at Hurghada Airport found she carrying tramadol and naproxen in her suitcase for her Egyptian boyfriend Omar Caboo who suffers from severe back pain. The pair have been together for four years.

Ms Plummer reportedly signed a 38-page statement in Arabic, which she thought would result in her being able to leave the airport, but she has been held in a 15ft by 15ft cell with 25 other women for nearly a month.

Her brother, James Plummer, 31, said the family has been told she could face up to 25 years in jail, with one lawyer even mentioning the death penalty.

Her sister Jayne Synclair, 40, said her little sister Laura Plummer has already threatened to take her own life.

"She can't stay in there any longer or she will be murdered or kill herself," she told The Mirror, adding that her life was “in danger”.

On a recent prison visit, she said their mother had “collapsed at the sight” of her.

"We are quite a glamorous family and she looked absolutely shocking,” she said. “Her hair has fallen out and she has a really bad ear infection which has caused her whole face and neck to swell. She doesn't even look like herself. She couldn't speak properly and was wearing the clothes she travelled in.”

The family were also reportedly scammed out of £10,000 by of conmen pretending to be lawyers.

“Egyptians wary of this kind of scam would never have parted with money until after a court hearing, but this lady was vulnerable and thought it was the right thing to do,” a source told The Sun.

“And the men dropped the case as soon as they got their hands on the money and disappeared.”

A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We are supporting a British woman and her family following her detention in Egypt.”