The family of a young British man facing a 20-year jail sentence in Dubai over a holiday romance have warned that his mental health is declining and they are all living in a “nightmare".
Marcus Fakana, an 18-year-old from Tottenham in north London, was on holiday with his parents when he met a 17-yearold girl who has since turned 18.
Campaign group Detained in Dubai said that after having sex, the teenagers, who were staying at the same hotel, discussed carrying on with their “blossoming” teenage romance when they came back to London.
The parents of the girl, who was a minor under United Arab Emirates (UAE) law, looked through her phone and reported Mr Fakana to the police after they arrived home from their trip, the organisation said.
Mr Fakana’s family said he is “very scared”. Dubai’s office of public prosecutions told the BBC his trial will take place on 9 December. The family have set up a GoFundMe to raise money for Mr Fakana’s legal costs, explaining they went to the UAE to celebrate his father’s birthday.
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