Cassie Sainsbury appears in Colombian court drug charges

Australian drug mule Cassie Sainsbury made a surprise appearance in a Colombian court, but the hearing was abruptly called off because no one booked a translator.

Sainsbury, 22, will stand trial and face 30 years behind bars for trying to smuggle 5.9 kilograms of cocaine out of Colombia after a judge rejected her plea deal last month.

The former sex worker was moments away from a sentence reduction to six years when she claimed her family had been threatened by an anonymous drug cartel.

The explosive claims, previously unheard by Colombian prosecutors, saw her bargain thrown out the window as they were at odds with her initial statement.

Australian drug mule Cassie Sainsbury made a surprise appearance in a Colombian court

Her hearing was abruptly called off because no one booked a translator. Sainsbury, 22, was arrested at a Colombian airport in April after police found 5.9kg of cocaine in her luggage

Her hearing was abruptly called off because no one booked a translator. Sainsbury, 22, was arrested at a Colombian airport in April after police found 5.9kg of cocaine in her luggage

Sainsbury’s cancelled hearing was expected to see prosecutors formally announce the finer details of the drug smuggling charges she faces, News Corp reports.

Cassie’s lawyer Orlando Herran told the publication the hearing was for the ‘formal presentation (of) in writing documents of accusation.’ 

‘Now we have access to proof (of what the) prosecutor has,’ he said.

The case was adjourned by the judge and Sainsbury, who was wearing a pink shirt, was led handcuffed out of the Bogota court by female prison officers.

Sainsbury has been held at El Buen Pastor jail since April, when she was dramatically arrested at El Dorado International airport after police found cocaine in her luggage.

Police allege the 5.9kilograms of cocaine was hidden inside 18 packages, disguised as headphones, wrapped in plastic and covered in a ‘strange dusty material’. 

Sainsbury was led handcuffed out of the Bogota court by female prison officers

Sainsbury was led handcuffed out of the Bogota court by female prison officers

Sainsbury has been held at El Buen Pastor jail since April, when she was dramatically arrested at El Dorado International airport

Sainsbury has been held at El Buen Pastor jail since April, when she was dramatically arrested at El Dorado International airport

Sainsbury and her family have maintained her innocence ever since her arrest, providing various different stories to explain her being caught with the drugs.

Colombian authorities are desperate to know how and why the drugs came to be in her possession and will not budge on a plea bargain without the information.

They are also keen to find out just who was the mystery person who purchased a plane ticket on Sainsbury’s behalf from China to Colombia.

However, her legal team resisted demands for her to become an informant because it could put her in life danger from the cartel that hired her.

Senior Colombian narcotics police believed Sainsbury was too far down the food chain to be at significant risk.

But corruption and violence are rife within El Buen Pastor and the blonde alleged former prostitute has already been moved several times for her safety.

She is now housed in a separate wing reserved for foreign prisoners and those awaiting extradition.  

Sainsbury (pictured with partner Scott Broadbridge) is now housed in a separate wing reserved for foreign prisoners and those awaiting extradition

Sainsbury (pictured with partner Scott Broadbridge) is now housed in a separate wing reserved for foreign prisoners and those awaiting extradition

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk