The Foreign Office have said they are supporting the family
Mia O’Brien, 23, and her mum Danielle McKenna, 46.(Image: GoFundMe)
A 23-year-old British law student has been sentenced to life in a Dubai prison after making “a very stupid mistake”.
The young woman’s mother, Danielle McKenna, is pleading for support from the British public to get her daughter out of the ‘shocking’ situation.
The 46-year-old set up an online fundraiser in order to raise money for travel and legal fees to fight back against her daughter’s conviction.
On the fundraiser, Danielle wrote: “Mia has been given a life sentence over in Dubai and she is now in central prison.
“As you can all probably imagine, as her mother I am absolutely devastated. I haven’t seen my daughter since last October.”
She continued: “Mia is only 23 years old and has never done a bad thing in her life. This is a young girl, who went to university to do law, and unfortunately got mixed up in the wrong so-called friends and made a very stupid mistake and is now paying the price.
“So all I ask is if you can donate anything you can spare, even if it’s a £1, it could help up massively and I would be forever grateful. Thank you so much.”
Mia O’Brien.(Image: Instagram/Mirror)
While the details of Mia’s crime have not been disclosed, the Emirate countries are known to hand out life sentences – which is 15 years in jail – for crimes like drug trafficking, serious violence, and terrorism.
According to the UK foreign office, British visitors are explicitly warned not to flout the country’s laws, singling out drug offences in particular.
On its travel advice for United Arab Emirates, the FCDO says: “There is zero tolerance for drugs-related offences. The penalties for trafficking, smuggling, using and possessing illegal drugs (including residual amounts) are severe.
“Sentences for drug trafficking can include the death penalty. Possession of even the smallest amount of illegal drugs, including cannabis, can lead to a minimum 3-month prison term or a fine of between 20,000 UAE dirham (£4,000) and 100,000 UAE dirham (£20,000).”
Mia O’Brien.(Image: Instagram/Mirror)
The guidance continues: “The Emirati authorities count the presence of drugs in the blood stream as possession. Some ‘herbal highs’ and products containing cannabidiol (CBD) are illegal in the UAE.
“Possessing, concealing or making transactions with money from drugs-related offences is illegal. You could get a prison sentence and a fine.
“UAE airports have excellent technology and security for detecting illegal items, including cannabis. This is also used to scan the baggage of transiting passengers. You can be arrested for carrying drugs, even residual amounts.”
In a follow-up post on the fundraiser for Mia, Danielle McKenna thanked people who had donated, saying: “I just want to thank everyone for their donations so far.”She added: “This money will be used to send to my daughter Mia, and also for any legal fees that may arise, and maybe even to go towards getting family over to Dubai to see her, as none of us have seen Mia since last October, so thank you all so much.”
The GoFundMe for Mia has now been closed.