An 18-year-old Briton has been sentenced to a year in prison in Dubai after a “holiday romance” with a girl who was 17 at the time.
Marcus Fakana was with his family in the UAE when he met the girl – who’s also from London and is now 18.
The head of campaign group Detained in Dubai said it was a “disgrace” and Mr Fakana felt abandoned by the British government since his arrest in September.
He’s expected to appeal against the sentence.
Mr Fakana previously said the pair kept their romance secret from the girl’s family “because they were strict” and had hoped to continue seeing each other back in the UK.
However, he said police turned up at his family’s hotel and took him into custody without explanation.
Detained in Dubai said Mr Fakana was arrested and charged after the girl’s mother found their chats and pictures when they got back to the UK and called Dubai police.
“[Marcus] was desperately hoping to come home this week but prosecutorial mishandling in the first stages of the case meant it wasn’t heard as a misdemeanour when it should have been,” said the group’s boss Rahda Stirling.
Mr Fakana and his family have urged Foreign Secretary David Lammy, their MP in Tottenham, to intervene in the case.
The Foreign Office has said it’s in contact with them.
Dubai is well known for its strict laws on drugs, alcohol and sex – the age of consent is 18 and strictly enforced.
In a previous statement, prosecutors said: “Under UAE law, the girl is legally classified as a minor, and in accordance with procedures recognised internationally, her mother – being the legal guardian – filed the complaint.
“Dubai’s legal system is committed to protecting the rights of all individuals and ensuring impartial judicial proceedings.”
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Earlier this year, an Irish cabin crew member was charged with attempted suicide by Dubai authorities and prevented from leaving the UAE.
The charges were eventually dropped and she was allowed home after politicians and the media highlighted the case.
