A British backpacker reached an unexpected destination during his journey across South America after being jailed for a drug trafficking charge in Bolivia.
John Henshaw, a 39-year-old father from Greater Manchester, was reportedly caught with a “tiny” amount of marijuana at the La Paz International Airport on February 9.
He’s currently doing time in the San Pedro prison, a facility featured on the TV show “Behind Bars: The World’s Toughest Prisons,” where inmates are known for having to pay for their cells to avoid sleeping on the floor.
There are larger cells that “higher ranking” prisoners can access, which have beds, access to wifi, and even jacuzzis, according to the DailyMail.
A British father traveling in South America has been sent to a jail featured in the TV show “Behind Bars: The World’s Toughest Prisons”
Image credits: Toni Louise Rimmer
John’s loved ones have set up a GoFundMe page to help him with his legal and living costs.
The page—titled “Food and a cell for John Henshaw in San Pedro jail”—has raised £3,680 ($4,657) as of Monday (April 8).
“John has found himself in one of the worst prisons in South America. It’s 30-90 days until they look at his case,” the site reads.
“There’s zero human rights; the prison is left to the prisoners. All the guards are on the outside, they never go inside.”
John Henshaw was reportedly caught with a small amount of cannabis at La Paz International Airport in Bolivia
The message continues: “He’s spent all of his money on a lawyer and fees, with more to come and a fine. You have to pay to be in prison and then pay for the safety of a cell; otherwise, you sleep in the corridors, basically living rough.”
Furthermore, the GoFundMe organizer, Alex Foy, shared that John is receiving food, water, and toiletries from the British consulate of Bolivia.
“I think he will be OK once he has his own cell, if he keeps his head down and locks himself in at night,” Alex added, stressing that John was in a “very dangerous position” that he didn’t deserve to be in.
In the jail, inmates have to pay for their own cells if they don’t want to sleep on the floor
In the last update, Alex said that the inmate would soon be in a cell where people could visit him.
John’s ex-partner, Toni Rimmer, and his 15-year-old daughter, Kaitlyn Henshaw, are extremely concerned about him.
Toni, who’s trying to help her ex with the legal process from the UK, said: “He’s a good person. It’s absolutely horrific in there.”
“The only food he has been able to buy for himself is a ham and cheese toastie. He gets a bowl of broth a day,” John’s ex-wife said
His loved ones are raising money to pay for his legal and living costs
“He can only get money in drip feed from the embassy. The only food he has been able to buy for himself is a ham and cheese toastie. He gets a bowl of broth a day, that’s it.
She added: “He doesn’t deserve what’s happening to him in there. He’s had no previous charges.
“His daughter is going through exams and is so stressed. She just wants her dad home safe.”
“Nobody should be forced to live like that,” someone wrote
