Depressed Schapelle Corby rushed to hospital


SCHAPELLE Corby has been rushed to hospital, suffering depression after spending much of the past few weeks trembling and overcome with emotion in her Bali jail.

She was under guard last night in a police hospital, Kerobokan Jail's head of security, Maliki, confirmed.

Jailors said the Queenslander, 31, had been tearful over the past two weeks.
Fellow prisoners said she did not sleep at night and they feared she had given up hope of being released.

It is the second time in a year the convicted drug smuggler has been struck with depression.

Her jail doctor, Agung Hartawan, last night said Corby had gone downhill from Thursday and he had brought in a psychiatrist to examine her.

The decision was made on Friday night to take her to hospital.

"Sometimes she just hangs around the cell, sometimes she forgets about things, sometimes she forgets to look after herself, has bad dreams," he said.

He said it was easier to monitor Corby while she was in hospital to ensure she took all her prescribed medication because she appeared not to be taking it all at the jail.

Earlier, she had not been focused while talking, her answers to questions had been slow and vague and she had been distant during attempts to converse with her, he said.

The doctor said he did not know how long Corby would remain in hospital.

Two weeks ago, Corby was clearly struggling with her predicament.

She appeared distant, her hands trembled and she fought back tears when she told how she had lost hope of being declared innocent and freed from jail.

She also told how she no longer thought much about the world outside her jail cell.

She had been seeking to have some activities behind bars to keep her busy and proposed starting a beauty salon to teach fellow prisoners and conduct treatments.

Jail authorities said they has set up a committee to study the proposal, along with another of Corby's proposals, to open a small shop selling handicrafts made by prisoners.

Corby was arrested in October 2004 after being caught with 4.1kg of marijuana. She was convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to 20 years' jail.