World3 min(s) read
Published 10:51 27 Jun 2026 GMT
A British TikTok influencer is facing a possible death sentence after being charged with the murder of her boyfriend in Dubai.
Brooke George, 23, from Gravesend, Kent, was arrested in the early hours of June 22 and has since been charged with premeditated murder, according to advocacy organisation Detained in Dubai.
The social media influencer is accused of fatally stabbing a man she was reportedly in a relationship with after the pair met online.
George has not been convicted of any offence and the case remains under investigation.
According to Detained in Dubai, George claims she acted in self-defence after allegedly being subjected to a violent attack by her boyfriend.
The organisation said the relationship initially appeared positive, with George describing her first trip to Dubai as "the time of my life".
However, during a second visit to the UAE, the advocacy group claims the relationship became increasingly abusive.
Radha Stirling, chief executive of Detained in Dubai, said George alleges her boyfriend became "increasingly controlling and abusive" and that she was attempting to leave the country when the incident occurred.
According to Stirling, George claims her passport had been withheld and that she feared for her safety and allegedly claimed that she grabbed a kitchen knife during an altercation after fearing for her life.
The claims have not been independently verified and authorities in Dubai have not publicly commented on the allegations.
George's mother, Thereza George, said she noticed a change in her daughter's behaviour shortly before the incident.
"After Brooke returned to Dubai for the second time, the dynamic between them had clearly changed," she said.
"The day before the incident, she did not seem like herself. She was quieter and not her usual happy, cheerful self."
Thereza also claimed her daughter appeared frightened when she spoke to her following the incident.
"When I spoke to Brooke right after the incident, she was absolutely terrified," she said.
"I have never seen my daughter so frightened in my life."
Detained in Dubai has also alleged that George has not been granted access to legal representation during parts of the investigation and claimed she was forced to make statements without a lawyer present.
The organisation further alleges that George was subjected to degrading treatment while in custody.
Stirling described the case as raising concerns surrounding domestic violence, self-defence claims and the treatment of foreign nationals detained overseas.
The group has called for George to be released on bail while the investigation continues.
A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office confirmed it is providing assistance.
"We are in touch with a British woman detained in the UAE, we are supporting her family, and we are in contact with the local authorities," the statement said.
Under UAE law, George could face the death penalty if convicted.
The investigation is ongoing.
