EXCLUSIVE Brit woman, 21, rotting in Dubai hell hole jail without 'a shower for a month' after being arrested for drugs charges just weeks after arriving for new job
Isabella Daggett, 21, was arrested just weeks after relocating from Yorkshire to the puritanical desert city state after landing a new job.
But her desperate family insist she was seized by cops simply for being 'in the wrong place at the wrong time' and has never used narcotics.
Ms Daggett, who also jointly ran a small family-owned modelling agency, had been offered the chance to work in Dubai in early spring but was caught up in a drugs raid soon after arrival.
Her grandmother Heather Smith said: 'Bella has been locked up because she was in the wrong company. Wrong place, wrong time. Wrong boyfriend.
'She has been in prison since March but we have finally got a court date for next month.
'She was arrested with a lad, that was not her boyfriend, who she was staying with because things had fallen through with another house.'
Exactly what charges Ms Daggett faces have not been made public.
Ms Daggett, who also jointly ran a small family-owned modelling agency, had been offered the chance to work in Dubai (pictured) in early spring but was caught up in a drugs raid soon after arrival
Mrs Smith continued: 'All I know is that she rang me a week before all this happened and said that she wasn't happy and she knew something wasn't right.
'She was going to move out and come home to Leeds. And then this happened.
'I don't know the whole thing. I'm not sure what charges she has been arrested for, only possession of something - probably drugs, but I don't know for certain.
'But she is innocent because they have done all the tests and there was nothing in her system.'
Mrs Smith said her granddaughter had been working for a businessman doing internet recruiting for construction sites in the UK, before her boss offered her the chance to work in Dubai in a similar role.
'The bloke she was working for said for her to come to Dubai, you'll love it there, the lifestyle is wonderful…blah, blah, blah,' said Mrs Smith. 'Now she is locked up.
'And women get treated far worse than male prisoners, who get to go outside, they get sports, a PlayStation and a television - Bella has nothing.
'She hasn't had a shower for a month, she hasn't had a change of clothes for three months. She has had nothing.
'She can speak to me and her mum every day though, which is good. But we have been in bits.'
Mrs Smith said the family had given the young women a stern warning about the pitfalls of life behind Dubai's glamorous façade.
'We told Bella before she went to Dubai 'you know the rules in Dubai, play by the rules, don't flaunt this, don't do that'
'But there was a whole sequence of events that led up to her, inadvertently, being in this bloke's house, where she didn't want to be. She didn't really like him that much.
'He may be guilty of something, but she isn't.'
Isabella and her mother, Lucinda Smith, 44, are co-directors of Leeds-based firm the Global Model Agency Ltd and Lucinda posted a GoFundMe page for her daughter this week, under the headline 'Help Get Bella Home' with a £5,500 target.
She wrote: 'To our dear friends and family. I am reaching out to you in a time of great need.
'My daughter Isabella has been wrongfully detained in Dubai, and we are doing everything we can to prove her innocence and bring her back home.
'We have proof she was not involved in these charges and are determined to fight for her freedom. The hideous conditions she is living in is enough to break any mother's heart.
'The legal and travel expenses are overwhelming, and we need your support. Any contribution, no matter how small, will help us cover the costs of legal fees, travel, and other necessary expenses.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
4 minutes ago
- The Sun
Man in his 50s found dead inside home after ‘disturbance' on street as teen, 19, and pensioner, 76, among three arrested
A MAN in his 50s has been found dead inside a house after being hurt in a "disturbance" on the street. Cops arrested a 29-year-old man on suspicion of murder. A 19-year-old woman and a 76-year-old man were also arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. Cops scrambled to a home in Mansfield Woodhouse, Nottinghamshire at 6.20pm on August 17. Paramedics called them to the scene after finding a man dead. He had been hurt in a "street disturbance" the day before at 10.30pm. Detective Chief Inspector Ruby Burrow, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:'Our sympathies remain with the victim's family and friends in the light of this tragic incident, and our specially trained officers will continue to support them. 'We've now arrested three suspects in connection with this man's death, including one man on suspicion of murder. 'While our investigation is progressing, we are still urging anyone with information – no matter how insignificant it may seem – to get in touch with us without delay. 'I'd also like to take this time to reassure local residents that although this has likely caused a degree of local concern, we believe this is an isolated incident with no wider risk to the public.' The three suspects remain in custody as the investigation continues.
BreakingNews.ie
4 minutes ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Two arrested on suspicion of manslaughter in connection with death of Louth man
Two men have been arrested by detectives investigating the death of a man in Co Armagh. James O'Connor (42) from Co Louth sustained serious head injuries in the Edenappa Road area of Jonesborough on May 31st. Advertisement He died in hospital on June 5th. The two men, aged 28 and 42, were arrested on Wednesday morning on suspicion of manslaughter. The suspects were previously arrested along with another man in connection with the incident. All three were released at that time to allow for further police inquiries to be carried out. PSNI Superintendent Norman Haslett – who is District Commander for Newry, Mourne and Down – said: 'My thoughts are, first and foremost, with Mr O'Connor's family and loved ones who continue to grieve. Advertisement 'Mr O'Connor sustained serious head injuries in the Edenappa Road area of Jonesborough. This was in the early hours of Saturday 31 May. He was taken to hospital, but sadly died from his injuries some days later.' He appealed for any witnesses to the incident to come forward.
The Guardian
4 minutes ago
- The Guardian
A man from Shiraz bares his scars: Shayan Sajadian's best photograph
Shiraz, my home town, is widely known as the city of Hafez and Saadi – two of Iran's greatest poets. It is celebrated for its poetry, wine, and the scent of orange blossoms. But beneath this beauty lies a darker reality that I feel compelled to expose through my lens. I was born into a middle-class family, and grew up quite isolated from the outside world. My grandfather had been addicted to drugs and alcohol, and my mother's childhood was often filled with conflict and violence. Her deep-seated fear of harmful people and bad influences led her to become extremely distrustful of others, and she built a metaphorical wall around us. Despite financial difficulties, my parents made an effort to raise us in a more affluent area. I had almost no real understanding of Shiraz or its people and only started exploring its older, historical districts after returning from university. I was studying architecture and bought a camera for my coursework. One day, while photographing the southern parts of the city, I came across a neighbourhood filled with homeless people and drug-users. The scene was strange and shocking and deeply affected me. From then on, I frequently visited the area with my camera. Initially, I focused on individuals dealing with addiction – those who are often abandoned by their families, society and the state. In Iran, heroin and crystal meth are among the most commonly abused substances, and addiction rates are rising. I also became acquainted with drug-dealers and criminals, which allowed me to document their lives, too. These people typically live in impoverished and marginalised neighbourhoods where, often, economic hardship and cultural conditions contribute to their involvement in such lifestyles. My goal is to portray them with nuance, capturing not only their circumstances but also the subcultures they exist within, such as hypermasculinity, patriarchy and traditional values. This image is part of a continuing project focused on individuals with links to crime in some way. Ali comes from a family with a history of criminal charges. His brother was executed. I met Ali in an alleyway. We connected, shared a joint, and he agreed to be photographed. The photo was taken in his room. His body was covered in scars from self-inflicted knife wounds, and across his chest he has a tattoo that means: 'Stay healthy.' Behind him hung a poster of Googoosh, one of the most iconic female pop singers from pre-revolutionary Iran, along with framed miniature paintings and a poster of Imam Ali, the first Shia Imam. His bedding was bundled together in a cloth in the corner of the room. After seeing the photographs, he asked me to send him a few copies. My subjects often ask why I am taking these pictures, what I intend to do with them, and where they will be shared. I make an effort to first build trust and establish a connection. Sometimes, people even pose voluntarily, which is quite remarkable. Some are genuinely happy to be photographed – perhaps because there is a human need to be seen and acknowledged. The environments I document are often male-dominated. Women are less visible in these spaces and, overall, photographing women in Iran is more difficult – especially for male photographers, who face greater challenges in building trust with female subjects. Censorship in Iran is pervasive. Since the recent protests, even the presence of a camera on the streets has become increasingly restricted. The state is unwilling to allow an honest portrayal of public life. Whether my work has shifted perceptions of Iranian society, either domestically or internationally, I cannot say. Iran is extraordinarily diverse in terms of culture and ethnicity and I only document a small corner. My intention is not to represent the country as a whole, but rather to focus on this specific, often overlooked segment of society. Born: Shiraz, Iran, 'Studying other photographers' works. The renowned Iranian photographer Kaveh Golestan once said that he wanted his photographs to 'slap' the viewer. In my own way, I strive to achieve the same impact – disrupting the viewer's expectations and provoking a reaction.'High point: 'Taking the cover photo for a single by Sevdaliza, a singer who dedicated a song to Iran's Woman, Life, Freedom movement, and a portrait of my friend Shahrokh, an Iranian gay adult performer who was born in the US. He has never visited Iran – nor is he able to. Shahrokh has the phrase 'Woman, Life, Freedom' tattooed on his chest.'Low point: 'There have been instances when I was in danger while photographing. On several occasions, people attempted to rob me – once successfully, although I was able to track down the thief and recover my equipment. On another occasion, I was sexually assaulted at knife-point by five assailants during a shoot.'Top tip: 'Study and keep working so hard. Find your way – the way you want to see and think.' See more work @Shayan Sajadian and LS10 Gallery
