Holly Deane-Johns

Holly Deane-Johns's Biography

At the age of 29, Holly Deane-Johns was arrested in Bangkok and received a 31-year sentence for possessing heroin. Not since Bangkok Hilton has a female prisoner in Thailand documented conditions inside the country’s notorious prisons.

Holly overcame her addiction to drugs while in prison, and today she is a community advocate and speaker about issues relating to addiction and recovery and the criminal justice system.

Holly’s story shares her lived experience of heroin addiction and recovery. She grew up in the well-to-do Perth suburb of Mount Lawley and heroin addiction entered her family’s life after her parents’ separated. She was first arrested at the age of 20 and she has spent a total of 17 years in prisons in Australia and Thailand for drug crimes. She has been drug-free since 2001.

At the age of 20, she was arrested on drugs charges and served five years in Bandy-Up Women’s Prison in Western Australia.

Nine years later, she was charged with attempting to post 15 grams of heroin to Australia from Bangkok, as well as possessing another 15 grams in her apartment. Holly pleaded guilty and received a 31 year sentence. She was sent to the notorious ‘Bangkok Hilton’ Women’s Prison, known locally as Lat Yao.

Holly endured horrific conditions over the next seven and a half years. Staying alive was a daily struggle.

Holly learnt Thai and formed several enduring friendships with fellow inmates, but faced heartbreak and anguish when some did not survive.

She also successfully stopped using drugs during her first year in the Thai prison. She wrote “Holly’s Hell – Seven Years in a Thai Prison” in large part to help others overcome their addictions.

After a lengthy battle to obtain a prison transfer from Thailand, Holly was moved to Bandy-up Women’s Prison in Perth 2007, where she served another five years.

While completing her sentence in BandyUp Women's Prison, Holly obtained a Diploma in Youth Work and Certificates in Community Services. Since her release, she has obtained qualifications in hypnotherapy and counselling. Holly has also worked in mining in Western Australia.

Three members of her family lost their lives to heroin overdoses. Holly is a qualified youth worker and counsellor who has suffered from severe PTSD. She shares her story to help others to overcome addictions and trauma.

Holly is a natural and engaging speaker who feels confident in front of any audience size. Down to earth, warm and funny, she shares her extraordinary life story without self-pity or an aversion to personal responsibility. Her insights into mental health, the prison system and drug abuse are illuminating and universal. Her message of rebuilding one’s life from rock bottom is inspiring.

Speaking Topics Include

“Holly’s Hell – Seven Years in a Thai Prison”

How to maintain a positive mindset in your darkest hours

The importance of empathy in dealing with addiction as a society How to carve out boundaries for wellbeing

How to make smart decisions for your future and what to watch out for along the way

How to stay drug-free for the rest of your life Recovering from PTSD

The impact of experiencing domestic violence as a child and the impact on wellbeing and education

The gift of perspective and how it leads to greater happiness and satisfaction

How to forge relationships that will endure times of stress and difficulty

The art of reinventing yourself

How to rebuild from the bottom up

Why everyone deserves a second chance

How addiction warps clarity, and how to break free

How to free yourself from regret

How to rebuild your life from rock bottom – and never go there again