British Influencer Facing Death Penalty in Dubai Claims 'Terrible' Conditions

A British influencer accused of murdering her boyfriend with a kitchen knife is reportedly "suffering terribly" in a Dubai jail as her trial faces delays. Brooke George, 23, was arrested on June 21 at Dubai International Airport, one day after the alleged stabbing of her boyfriend, 26-year-old William Treeby.

George, who is from Gravesend, Kent, claims she acted in self-defense after Mr. Treeby assaulted her in his apartment. Her legal team stated that she grabbed the knife during the altercation. She is now being held at the Bur Dubai police station, awaiting a death penalty trial.

Her mother, Tess, has described the conditions at the detention center as devastating, citing bright, sterile lighting, the constant sound of crying babies, and frequently interrupted phone calls. The family fears that these conditions are causing a rapid deterioration in George's mental health.

The case was adjourned on October 7 when prosecution witnesses failed to appear via video link, extending George's stay at the facility until October 28.

Radha Stirling, founder of Detained in Dubai, who is assisting George's family, stated that George is "increasingly upset, unable to sleep and struggling to maintain even the briefest contact with home." Stirling added that the center is not designed for prolonged detentions and that "British citizens who were locked up there for only hours during the Iran strikes were terrified at the thought of spending days there, let alone months." She emphasized that regardless of the allegations, George is entitled to humane treatment.

George, a former John Lewis employee, alleges that Mr. Treeby lured her to the UAE with promises of a modeling career and luxuries before confiscating her passport. She claims he became violent when she attempted to book a flight back to the U.K., leading her to stab him in self-defense.

This is not the first instance of a British national facing difficult conditions in Dubai's detention facilities. In 2011, British tourist Lee Bradley Brown died in the Bur Dubai police station. An inquest in 2022 revealed that severe beatings from guards and inmates contributed to his death, contradicting the initial claim that he choked on his own vomit.