A Perth grandmother has been sentenced to six years in a Japanese prison, after she was convicted of importing two kilograms of methamphetamine. Donna Nelson has long argued she's the innocent victim of a love scam. But the Chiba District Court found she must have had doubts that what she was doing was illegal.
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00:00It was a devastating outcome for the family who fought for their mum's freedom.
00:07You just have to look at how she looks now compared to how she looked when she arrived here.
00:12It's taken its toll on her. I worry about how she would handle another six years.
00:21Donna Nelson claimed she was duped into carrying a suitcase from Laos to Japan,
00:26believing her online boyfriend needed it as a sample for his fashion business.
00:31Hidden under a false bottom was two kilograms of methamphetamine.
00:35But the Chiba District Court found Ms Nelson overlooked too many red flags.
00:40Why didn't her boyfriend organise his associate in Laos to deliver the suitcase himself, the judge noted.
00:46Why did she tell him a month before the flight she did not want to collect his baggage?
00:52The strangeness of the request was not resolved, and the doubt something illegal could be inside the suitcase was not resolved, he said.
01:00Prosecutors wanted Ms Nelson to serve ten years, but the judge dropped it to six, acknowledging she was also a victim.
01:08The defendant committed the crime because she was deceived by Kelly and she had hopes of marriage, he said.
01:14He added a jail term was necessary.
01:17The court should be clear to show the crime was not financially worthwhile.
01:21Donna Nelson was crying throughout her sentencing, her head placed on the desk in front of her.
01:27As she was led away back to Chiba Prison, still in shock, she could only ask about her grandchildren.
01:33A reunion her family are now determined to make happen as soon as possible.
01:38I just said to her, it's okay, you're going to come home soon.
01:42The family's lawyers will appeal the decision.
01:45Of course she's devastated, but I think she's a strong woman, so we'll discuss and prepare for the next fight.
01:53As the Australian Government continues to provide support.
01:56Today's obviously a very difficult day for the family and our sympathy is with them.
02:00The judge took 430 days off the sentence for time already served, meaning Ms Nelson has four years and ten months remaining.