Australian to hear drugs charges verdict

A 36-year-old Australian is due to face a Thai court on Wednesday for the verdict on
charges of attempting to smuggle heroin in December last year.
Andrew Hood, a former storeman from the Sydney suburb of Annandale, had earlier
pleaded guilty of attempting to smuggle up to three kilograms of heroin.
Hood faces the threat of a jail sentence of up to 50 years for trafficking after
being arrested by Thai customs officials as he was about to board a flight to
Australia at Bangkok's International Airport with 12 packages of heroin strapped to
his body.
Court sources said the guilty plea would allow the judge to show leniency. Drug
trafficking in Thailand carries a nominal death sentence but a guilty plea is
expected to lead to a lengthy jail term of up to 50 years.
Hood has been held at the notorious Klong Prem Prison.
At an earlier court appearance Hood said he accepted the possibility of a lengthy
jail term.
In May he said that there was "no way I'm fighting this one".
"You can't win; I've been informed by plenty of people."
Australian embassy officials are expected to attend court for the verdict.