A 23-year-old British student - who was given a life sentence and a £100,000 fine in Dubai after a "stupid mistake" - has shared an update.

Mia O’Brien was allegedly caught with 50 grams of cocaine during a trip to the Middle East in October. She pleaded not guilty but was convicted by a judge after a day-long hearing on July 25.

Her mother, Danielle McKenna, says the “trial was all in Arabic,” and that Mia is now being held at Dubai’s Central Prison.

Mia, from Huyton, had been studying law in Liverpool and hoped to become a lawyer or solicitor. Speaking to Mail Online, Danielle said, "Mia feels she has destroyed her life as she wanted to be a lawyer or solicitor. I speak to her but she can't say too much on the phone. She's just made a stupid mistake after going over to see a friend and her boyfriend in Dubai."

Danielle, 46, says Mia is not a drug taker and has never been in trouble before, and she does not believe her daughter intended to sell the drugs or take them home.

Mia is being held in Dubai’s Central Prison, which is widely referenced for overcrowding, violence, and squalid conditions. According to the account shared by her family, inmates face a lack of privacy, with cells designed for three or four packed with far more, and some prisoners sharing beds.

Danielle said, "She is absolutely devastated by what has happened. Mia is being really strong but I know she is going through a living hell. The prison conditions are horrendous. There are no staff really and she has to bang on a big door if she needs anything.

"She's seen fights and said she has been really scared. Mia said she has to sleep on a mattress on the floor and shares the cell with six others. But she's not been ill - she has just come out in a few rashes."

Mia has not paid the £100,000 fine, and an appeal is expected within the coming weeks, her family says.

Danielle shared hopes her daughter could be transferred back to the UK in future, saying, "She said she hopes that she might get sent back to serve her sentence here after Ramadan when they might do clemency deals. But she is devastated by what has happened. We we were all shocked by the sentence she was given.

"But Mia is being really brave about it but she really misses her two young brothers who are aged just five and seven. She just wants to come home. I want her home too - she's my only daughter. I was so shocked when she told me what had happened - I would never had thought it in a million years. She can't wait to come home. She said the prison can be scary but she's just trying to keep her head down."

A GoFundMe launched by Danielle to help with legal fees and travel has been removed by the platform.

A company spokesperson said, "It was removed because it violates Term 9 of the Prohibited Conduct section in our Terms of Service. Term 9 prohibits raising funds on GoFundMe for the legal defence of certain alleged crimes."

Despite the setback, Danielle thanked supporters and explained how funds would help, writing: "Mia has been given a life sentence over in Dubai and she is now in central prison," and later adding, "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. Mia is only 23 years old and has never done a bad thing in her life."

She continued, "I just want to thank everyone for their donations so far, 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."

Loved ones say their priority is to get Mia home and fight what they describe as a “miscarriage of justice.” For now, Mia remains in Dubai’s Central Prison, awaiting the appeal process and hoping for a route back to the UK.

Featured image credit: Naufal MQ / Getty

The case of a young British student jailed in Dubai has shone a spotlight on the strict rules tourists must follow when visiting the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Mia O’Brien, 23, from Huyton, Liverpool, is being held in central prison after what her family described as “a very stupid mistake”.

Her mother, Danielle McKenna, 46, said in a now-removed fundraiser that she is "absolutely devastated" and hasn’t seen her daughter since last October.

According to Daily Mail, McKenna wrote: “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.”

She later added: “I just want to thank everyone for their donations so far, 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.”

Authorities have not confirmed what crime O’Brien was convicted of. In the Middle Eastern country, life sentences, usually around 15 years, can be imposed in cases involving drug trafficking, serious violence, or terrorism.

“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 three-month prison term or a fine of between 20,000 UAE dirham ($5,445) and 100,000 UAE dirham ($27,000+)," the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office warned.

There are several rules and regulations tourists must abide by if they are planning on visiting Dubai.

For example, drinking alcohol in public is illegal, with the legal age set at 21. Public drunkenness, underage drinking, and drunk driving are also zero-tolerance offences.

Revealing clothing is generally frowned upon, and “indecent actions or anything that might be prejudicial to public morals” can be punished with up to three years in prison and deportation, Mohammed Talal Al Tamimi, a lawyer at Tamimi & Co, told the Khaleej Times.

The FCDO shared their own warning to British tourists and residents, writing: “Dress modestly in public areas like shopping malls.

"Women should cover shoulders and knees, and underwear should not be visible. Avoid transparent clothing or any attire that features imagery or phrases that could potentially offend others. Swimming attire should only be worn on beaches or at swimming pools. Cross-dressing is illegal.”

Other rules are that consensual sexual relationships between a man and woman outside marriage are "generally legal if both are aged 18 or over". Public displays of affection, such as kissing, can also lead to arrest.

Swearing, rude gestures (including online), and critical social media posts about the UAE government or individuals can also carry prison terms or deportation.

Even crossing the road outside of designated pedestrian crossings can lead to fines or imprisonment, and feeding stray cats can result in a fine.

Speaking about her daughter’s situation, Mia’s mother told Daily Mail that she is "going through it at the minute," adding: "She’s just been transferred to another prison after getting a life sentence. It’s been a massive shock.”

Featured image credit: Naufal MQ / Getty

A British law student who was convicted of drug offences in Dubai is now serving a life sentence in one of the city’s most notorious prisons, where former inmates have described scenes of torture, overcrowding, and violence.

Mia O’Brien, 23, from Huyton in Merseyside, was allegedly caught with 50g of cocaine in her apartment and arrested alongside a friend and the friend’s boyfriend.

The trio was charged with drug dealing, and O’Brien was convicted after a one-day hearing on July 25. She was fined around $27,000 before being transferred to Dubai Central Prison, better known as Al-Awir.

Mia's mother, Danielle McKenna, said the ordeal has devastated the family in a now-deleted GoFundMe post: “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," she added.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, McKenna added: “She’s going through it at the minute. She’s just been transferred to another prison after getting a life sentence. It’s been a massive shock."

"She was crying on the phone and saying, ‘Oh mum - please forgive me.’ I definitely don’t think she was going to sell the drugs or bring them back. It’s a lot of drugs but there are others involved, and she has just been caught up in it," the mom revealed.

Al-Awir prison, which houses both male and female convicts, has long been associated with harrowing accounts from former detainees.

Inmates and campaigners have described beatings, electrocution, starvation, and the denial of medical care.

Former Leeds United director David Haigh, who spent nearly two years in Dubai detention on fraud charges he denies, said his experience there was “horrific".

He said that he was tortured and raped, and that he witnessed guards using Tasers and cattle prods on other prisoners. “It was the most shocking thing of my life, and I will never forget it,” he said, per BBC News.

Others, like former prisoner Karl Williams, likened Al-Awir to the “Dubai version of Alcatraz.” He alleged that during his time inside, Russian gangs controlled wards and guards looked the other way as violent attacks and rapes took place, per The Sun.

Human Rights Watch has also reported cases of HIV-positive inmates being denied medication for months.

Basic conditions are bleak. Former detainees described cells designed for four crammed with up to ten prisoners, filthy toilets, and constant air conditioning, leaving blocks cold at night.

Prisoners are supposed to receive a mattress, pillow, and blanket, but embassy guidance notes that these are often delayed. Visiting rights are limited to once a week, and phone calls can be cancelled or blocked entirely as punishment.

Despite mounting international criticism, UAE authorities have consistently denied claims of abuse in their prisons.

Back in the UK, McKenna continues to campaign for her daughter, even setting up her own fundraiser after GoFundMe removed her page for breaching its rules against raising money for legal defences.

“I am going to set up my own, as they [GoFundMe] are nitpicking at everything... I would just like to thank everyone,” she wrote on Facebook.

The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office confirmed it is supporting the family. A spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of a British woman detained in the UAE and are in contact with the local authorities,” cited by the Standard.

On its website, the FCDO warns travellers of the UAE’s zero-tolerance stance on drugs: “The penalties for trafficking, smuggling, using and possessing illegal drugs (including residual amounts) are severe. Sentences for drug trafficking can include the death penalty.”

For now, O’Brien remains in Al-Awir. Her mother says she is focused on staying connected to her daughter as she begins serving her sentence.

Featured image credit: Facebook

A British woman has been sentenced to life in prison in Dubai after what her family describes as a “very stupid mistake.”

Mia O’Brien, 23, from Huyton in Liverpool, is being held in Dubai’s Central Prison following her conviction earlier this year.

Her mother, Danielle McKenna, has spoken publicly about her devastation and the conditions her daughter now faces.

In a now-deleted GoFundMe, Danielle said: "I haven't seen my daughter since last October. 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."

The family initially launched the fundraiser to help cover Mia’s legal fees and travel costs to visit her in the UAE, but the page was later taken down.

Before it was removed, Danielle wrote: "I just want to thank everyone for their donations so far, 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 fundraiser was taken down, having raised £700, The Sun reports.

A spokesperson for GoFundMe told the outlet that "it was removed because it violates Term 9 of the Prohibited Conduct section in our Terms of Service."

"Term 9 prohibits raising funds on GoFundMe for the legal defence of certain alleged crimes," they explained.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Danielle added: "She's just been transferred to another prison after getting a life sentence. It's been a massive shock." She also described her daughter as “going through it” behind bars.

In the UAE, a life sentence for a non-Emirati citizen generally means 25 years in prison, followed by deportation. While Mia’s family has not publicly confirmed the exact charges she was convicted of, life sentences in Dubai are typically handed down for crimes such as drug trafficking and possession, human trafficking, murder or attempted murder, and terrorism-related offenses.

The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office has repeatedly warned British nationals about strict laws in the UAE, particularly regarding drug-related offenses. It states that authorities “count the presence of drugs in the blood stream as possession.”

The guidance also cautions: "The penalties for trafficking, smuggling, using and possessing illegal drugs (including residual amounts) are severe. Sentences for drug trafficking can include the death penalty."

For now, Mia remains in prison as her family continues to push for support and look for options to bring her back to the UK.

Featured image credit: Facebook