A British woman from Liverpool could face the possibility of life in prison after being arrested in Dubai on suspicion of drug-related offences.

According to the Liverpool Echo, 25-year-old Antonia Bettridge relocated to Dubai in November 2023, where she had been working as a sports coach and personal trainer.

Her arrest has raised concern among family members and legal advocates, particularly as strict drug laws in the United Arab Emirates can carry severe penalties.

Legal representatives from the organisation Detained In Dubai, which supports individuals facing legal issues in the country, say Bettridge has been arrested on suspicion of “possession of narcotics with intent to promote.” Under Dubai law, the charge can lead to heavy financial penalties and potentially a life sentence.

Family says they are ‘worried sick’ as woman remains detained

Bettridge’s mother has spoken publicly about the situation, describing the emotional strain the family is facing as they wait for updates about their daughter, per The Mirror.

"Antonia’s whole life revolves around fitness and healthy living," her mum said.

"She doesn’t live a party lifestyle. She moved to Dubai to build something positive for herself. We are devastated and just want clarity about what has happened."

The family says the situation has become even more distressing due to ongoing tensions in the region, which have made communication more difficult.

"With everything happening in the region at the moment, it is incredibly frightening knowing our daughter is in detention and we cannot reach her.

"We are worried sick. We just want her to be safe and to have the opportunity to prepare her defence properly."

Detained In Dubai has also pointed out that authorities in the UAE do not necessarily require proof that someone intended to sell or distribute drugs in order to pursue charges related to promotion.

Antonia Bettridge could face life in prison. Credit: Facebook

Legal experts call for bail as regional tensions grow

Radha Stirling, head of Detained In Dubai, highlighted how current regional instability is increasing anxiety for families whose loved ones are already in detention.

Stirling said: "When there is regional instability or security incidents, families naturally become even more concerned about loved ones who are already in a vulnerable situation."

The concerns come at a time when tensions in the region have escalated. The Khaleej Times reports that Iran has launched retaliatory strikes on the UAE, resulting in three deaths and 94 injuries.

Airports including Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Airport and Dubai International Airport have been targeted during missile and drone strikes, which have disrupted flights.

In response, the UK Foreign Office has advised British nationals in the UAE to remain indoors and avoid standing near windows.

Stirling also called for authorities to consider allowing Bettridge to prepare her case while outside of detention.

Stirling said: "It reinforces why allowing defendants to prepare their cases from outside detention, where appropriate, is so important.

"We hope the FCDO supports her application for bail pending any trial at the very least."

A spokesperson for the UK Foreign Office confirmed officials are aware of the situation.

"We are supporting a British woman detained in the UAE and are in contact with the local authorities."

Antonia Bettridge was arrested in Dubai. Credit: Dblight / Getty

Previous court case in the UK revealed by Liverpool Echo

The Liverpool Echo also reported that Bettridge had previously appeared before Liverpool Crown Court in September 2023.

During that case, she was convicted of possessing criminal property after police discovered £8,000 in the glove box of her vehicle.

Officers had originally pulled her over in 2021, during which she claimed she was not carrying any money. However, police later found £610 inside her handbag along with thousands of pounds stored in her car.

Investigators later discovered she had driven around 170 miles from her then home in Dentons Green to a service station near Bristol before beginning the return journey.

After admitting the offence of possessing criminal property, Bettridge was handed a 12-month community order. The sentence included 75 hours of unpaid work and a requirement to pay £1,200 in court costs.

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

The mother of a 23-year-old British woman who was sentenced to life in prison in Dubai has issued a new public plea for help.

As previously reported, Danielle McKenna has not seen her daughter, Mia O’Brien, since October last year after she was handed a life sentence.

Mckenna launched a GoFundMe page to raise money for Mia's legal fees and family travel costs to the United Arab Emirates, writing: “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.

GoFundMe later removed the fundraiser because it violated its policies. In a statement to The Sun, they explained: “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 removal, McKenna has since taken to Facebook to continue her fundraising efforts directly.

“I am going to set up my own, as they [GoFundMe] are nitpicking at everything... I would just like to thank everyone,” she wrote, sharing her bank details with supporters.

According to the outlet, Mia was allegedly found with 50g of cocaine and was arrested along with her friend and the friend’s boyfriend. The trio was charged with drug dealing, and the law student was convicted by a judge after a one-day hearing on July 25

She was allegedly fined a staggering $27K by the court before being transferred to Dubai Central Prison, also known as Al-Awir.

McKenna opened up about her daughter's imprisonment with Daily Mail, sharing: “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 said.

She added: “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 UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) confirmed it is in contact with O’Brien’s family and the Emirati authorities. A spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of a British woman detained in the UAE and are in contact with the local authorities.”

On its website, the FCDO stresses the UAE’s uncompromising stance on drugs: “There is zero tolerance for drug-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.”

The warning adds that even trace amounts detected in the bloodstream count as possession, and that products like herbal highs and CBD oil are banned. Penalties include a minimum three-month prison sentence or fines of up to 100,000 dirham ($27,000+).

McKenna said her focus now is on staying connected to her daughter and finding support to get through what she described as a devastating ordeal.

Featured image credit: Facebook

There is a new update in the case of the 23‑year‑old British law student who was sentenced to life imprisonment in Dubai after being found with 50 grams of cocaine.

Mia O’Brien, from Huyton in Merseyside, was convicted on July 25, after a one‑day trial conducted in Arabic, according to her mother, Danielle McKenna. Her mother claims Mia pleaded not guilty but was sentenced to life behind bars and fined £100,000. 

She is now held in Dubai’s Central Prison, which is well known for extreme overcrowding and harsh conditions. 

Mia had been studying law at the University of Liverpool and hoped to qualify as a solicitor or lawyer before her arrest, her mother says. Danielle insists Mia never used drugs before and had no intent to traffic them. 

Prison conditions and life behind bars

According to Danielle, Mia is sharing a small cell with six others and has to sleep on a mattress on the floor. 

She says there is minimal supervision by staff, and Mia must bang on a large door if she needs assistance. 

Danielle also reports Mia has witnessed fights and is frightened. 

 She believes her daughter is trying to stay strong, but the strain is immense. 

Mia has said she is not seriously ill, though she has developed rashes, according to her mother. 

 The prison system in Dubai has faced accusations from human rights organisations regarding violence and poor treatment of inmates. 

An appeal is expected to be lodged in the coming weeks. 

Danielle is hoping that Mia might eventually be permitted to serve her sentence in the UK, possibly via transfer or clemency after Ramadan. 

The latest update

Danielle had previously set up a GoFundMe campaign to assist with legal fees and travel costs. The fundraiser was later removed for violating GoFundMe’s terms regarding legal defence campaigns. 

She publicly thanked those who tried to help and started exploring other routes to raise funds. 

In a new update, Danielle has since set up a new page on the Christian fundraising site GiveSendGo, which has raised £420 at the time of writing.

She wrote in the description of the fundraiser: "As everyone knows by now, Mia has been given a life sentence in Dubai, and is now in central prison.

"I am asking for your help, so that family can get over to Dubai to visit Mia, as we haven’t seen her since last October, and it would also really help with any other fees that we may face a long the way. Even if it’s only a £1 it could help us massively. Thank you so much."

For now, Mia remains in custody, holding on to hope that justice may yet prevail and that she might one day return home.

Featured image credit: Facebook

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