'Peru two' to both admit guilt in plea bargaining bid

The Monaghan-born woman arrested on drugs charges in South America is expected to change her plea to guilty later today.

21-year-old Michaella McCollum was detained at an airport in Peru last month along with 19-year-old Melissa Reid from Scotland.

They were trying to board a flight a flight to Spain with 11 kilos of cocaine in their luggage.

The prosecutor handling their case said that they face a minimum of six years in prison if they plead guilty and a further sentence reduction may be possible if the women co-operated as witnesses against others.

Henry McDonald - Ireland Correspondent for Guardian & The Observer - said that Michaella was initially insistent that she would contest the charges.

"Suddenly we have now an admission of guilt to plea a more lenient sentence," he said.

"But I think it has been on the cards since her co-accused Melissa Reid from Glasgow pleaded guilty earlier this month as part of plea bargaining to get a lesser sentence which Peruvian authorities tend to go for in relation to alleged drug mules

"So this is a u-turn ion her part"