British pensioner William Eastment returns to UK after year in Chilean prison

Eighty‑year‑old bowls player William Eastment was detained in Santiago, Chile, after prosecutors alleged he was transporting more than 5 kg of methamphetamine worth about £200,000 in a suitcase. Eastment maintains he was duped by an inheritance‑scam gang and had no knowledge of the drugs. He spent roughly a year in Santiago 1 Penitentiary, a notorious South‑American facility, before Chilean authorities dropped the case and accepted he had been deceived.

Eastment arrived back in the United Kingdom this week, appearing frail and significantly weight‑lost. Neighbours noted his thin frame and cautious steps, describing him as almost unrecognisable. He is now readjusting to life in his Somerset village with support from friends and local services, taking short walks and shopping trips as he regains strength after the ordeal.