UK teen jailed in Dubai for holiday romance pleads with Sheikh to let him go
Marcus. who was on holiday with his family, had a fling with a 17-year-old girl from the UK - and has been jailed
A UK teenager locked up in Dubai for having a holiday romance with a 17-year-old girl - also from the UK - has begged for mercy. Marcus Fakana has formally submitted a plea for clemency to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai.
The 19-year-old was sentenced to one year in prison after he struck up a romantic relationship with a 17-year-old British girl. Both his family and the girl's family were on holiday at the time.
Marcus, who was 18 when the relationship began, is currently being held in Al Awir Prison, where he has spent several months in isolating and harsh conditions. He has now placed his hopes on a humanitarian pardon from Dubai's leadership.
'This has been the most traumatic and life-altering experience imaginable for Marcus,' said Radha Stirling, founder of Detained in Dubai, which is supporting the teen's family. 'He is barely an adult himself and never intended to break any law. What happened was legal in the UK and consensual.
'But now he is facing permanent damage to his mental health and future prospects because of it.'
Prison conditions are reportedly taking a toll on Marcus, who is said to have only limited contact with his family. His parents have made repeated appeals to David Lammy MP, and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
They have also requested the British Embassy in Dubai to help secure his release. Radha said: 'If Marcus could go back in time, he would. He has shown remorse and fully respects the laws of the UAE. He only hopes the government will show compassion and allow him to return home to rebuild his life.
'He's very young and this is a heartbreaking way to begin adulthood.'
The family is urging the British public and authorities to back their plea for clemency. They have warned of the legal risks young Britons face in countries with vastly different legal systems.
Radha added: 'Parents need to be aware that teens can be charged in the UAE for behaviour that would not be considered criminal at home. Whether that's a relationship, social media activity, or even drinking alcohol.
'Marcus is struggling, and this experience will leave a permanent scar. We implore Sheikh Mohammed and the government of Dubai to hear his pleas and let him come home.'
Marcus continues to pray that his voice will be heard, with pardons expected to be finalised this month.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Edinburgh Live
19 minutes ago
- Edinburgh Live
Madeleine McCann police find 'clothing and bones' in latest search update
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Investigators probing Madeleine McCann's vanishing have dispatched minuscule fragments found during last week's dig to Germany for analysis. The search near where the British toddler vanished, a spot frequented by convicted German sex offender Christian Brueckner, 38, seemed fruitless last Thursday as detectives came up empty-handed in finding solid clues linked to the case. However, it has emerged that small pieces of clothing and bone were unearthed, potentially linking Brueckner, the prime suspect for German authorities, to the crime. A source disclosed to the Berlin Morning Post: "Several objects have apparently been discovered, which are now being examined in more detail by the police in the laboratory. As Portuguese media report, clothing debris and bones were found, among other things. "The investigators have not officially commented on whether the finds could have anything to do with Madeleine's disappearance but that is clearly their hope." The specimens are currently undergoing tests in Germany, with law enforcement optimistic they might yield a forensic breakthrough in a mystery that has baffled sleuths since 2007, when three year old Madeleine disappeared from her holiday flat in Praia da Luz as her parents dined nearby. Brueckner is nearing the end of his prison term after his 2020 conviction for raping an elderly American tourist in 2005 at the same resort where Madeleine was last seen, reports the Express. He has been under suspicion in the McCann case since 2020, though he hasn't faced formal charges and denies any involvement. Just last week, German officers scoured an area near where the young girl vanished, deploying cutting-edge ground-penetrating radar in hopes of a breakthrough. Initial reports suggested that the search yielded little beyond animal remains and adult garments as prosecutors hurry to stop Brueckner from being set free. Brueckner was found guilty in 2016 of assaulting a five year old in a park, with incriminating images discovered on his computer, leading to a 15-month jail term. After getting out of prison, Brueckner allegedly told a mate in a pub during the 10th-anniversary coverage of Madeleine's disappearance that he "knew all about" what had happened to her. In the same year, he supposedly mentioned to someone else that Maddie "did not scream", but the credibility of this witness has been questioned.
Daily Mirror
20 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
All the clues that finally nailed paedo sex pest as prime Maddie McCann suspect
Christian Brueckner has been the prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann since 2020, and investigators are in a 'race against time' to charge the convicted sex offender Currently serving a seven-year sentence for the 2005 rape of a 72 year old American tourist near where Madeleine McCann vanished, Christian Brueckner has been the official suspect in the British toddler's disappearance since 2020 – yet he has always protested his innocence and has never been formally charged. Now, it appears this 18 year-long search has become the only means left for German authorities to keep the sex offender behind bars. "It's now or never," read a headline in Germany's Bild newspaper this week. Meanwhile, 47 year old Brueckner has made his feelings perfectly clear in an extraordinary interview with German journalist Ulrich Oppold, in which he described looking forward to "a nice steak and beer" upon release. Refusing to answer any questions about Madeleine, he instead admitted he planned to flee if released from prison. Here we break down Brueckner's dark past and how he became the main suspect in the missing case leaving Maddie's family in turmoil. READ MORE: Six major questions raised by Madeleine McCann suspect's letter - from DNA to photos First conviction In 1994, when he was just 17, Brueckner was first convicted of child sexual abuse, attempted abuse, and performing sexual acts in front of a child. But to avoid a youth custody sentence, he fled to Portugal with a girlfriend, prompting a European arrest warrant. After the couple split, Brueckner lived as a drifter, taking on various odd jobs before settling in a dilapidated house near the Praia da Luz resort in the mid-1990s. He frequently returned to the area over the years and has since been linked to the disappearances of seven-year-old Jair Soares and 16-year-old Belgian tourist Carola Titze, both of whom vanished around that period. In 1999, Portuguese authorities eventually apprehended him and returned him to Germany to serve his youth sentence, raising concerns over why he was not monitored more closely afterward. Police evasion Over the next two decades, Brueckner moved between Germany and Portugal, managing to evade criminal proceedings varying from drug trafficking to theft and sexual offences. Witnesses during a later rape trial described him as living a life of petty crime, often targeting holiday apartments with "open windows," the Telegraph reports. The rape for which he is currently imprisoned occurred in 2005. The victim, a 72-year-old American woman, lived in a flat just half a mile from where Madeleine would disappear two years later. Late one night, Brueckner broke into her home, assaulted her with a 30cm scimitar – a short, curved sword – before sexually assaulting her. The rape was investigated in Portugal but the police eventually shelved the case. It was only much later that a former accomplice of Brueckner's, who had stolen diesel with him, which lead to Brueckner's 2006 arrest, discovered a video of the rape and reported it to the police. In late 2019, Brueckner was finally sentenced. The convicted sex offender was reportedly staying in a camper van just several miles away from the apartment the McCanns were staying at when Madeleine vanished. In 2020, police revealed that his phone placed him in the vicinity on the night she disappeared. Brueckner has always denied any involement. Huge investigation 'error' The 48 year old was first associated with Madeleine's case in 2013 after the McCanns appealed for information on the German equivalent of Crimewatch, Aktenzeichen XY. Among around 500 calls, authorities received a credible tip. A former associate matched Brueckner to a sketch of a man seen by the site where Madeleine vanished. Following the McCanns' TV appeal, police in the German town of Braunschweig - Brueckner's residence at the time - sent a letter to Brueckner inviting him to be interviewed as a witness in the "missing person case of Madeleine McCann".. Jon Clarke, a journalist and author of My Search for Madeleine, argues this was a monumental misstep "They messed up, they sent a policeman around to his house and told him he had to appear in a police station three days later to answer questions in the case of Madeleine McCann," Clarke wrote."They actually wrote it on the letter, so he was completely warned, and in those three days who knows what happened?" An officer who spoke to Der Spiegel magazine in Germany also acknowledged the error, saying: "This should not have happened and in no way complies with common procedure in such a delicate case." Clarke suggests that Brueckner's evasion is partly due to the involvement of numerous German police forces, his travels across Germany, as well as trips to Portugal and back, which has led to a lack of communication between agencies. "In different police forces, and it's been very difficult therefore to piece things together," he explained. However, Brueckner's criminal past began to catch up with him. In 2017, he was found guilty of sexually assaulting a child in Germany in 2013 - the five year old daughter of a former girlfriend - and was sentenced to 15 months behind bars. The assault took place in a public park and explicit photos were later discovered on a digital camera when police were probing him for a separate domestic violence allegation. Shock Maddie claim Following his release from prison on sex assault charges, it is reported that Brueckner was in a pub with a friend when televisions broadcasted the 10th-anniversary coverage of Madeleine's disappearance. This allegedly led him to admit that he "knew all about" what had happened to her, before allegedly showing a video of himself raping a woman. It is believed that his friend then reported him to the authorities. In the same year, Helge B, a former friend of Brueckner's, reportedly claimed that the suspect confessed to killing the three-year-old, saying she "didn't scream". Helge once claimed he had stolen a camera and videotapes showing Brückner raping several women - and this evidence helped put him behind bars for the rape of a 72-year-old American woman, a crime he is currently serving a prison sentence in Germany for. While Brueckner's lawyer alleged Helge's testimony was false, these claims were thrown out by a judge. Brueckner was apprehended the following year in Italy and extradited to Germany, this time on a warrant related to drug trafficking. He was imprisoned for 21 months for dealing drugs and subsequently convicted for the rape of his American victim. Bombshell new evidence In 2020, the German prosecutor announced that Madeleine was presumed dead and named Brueckner as the official suspect – marking the first time his name had been publicly disclosed. Investigator Hans Christian Wolters said in 2022: "We are sure he is the murderer of Madeleine McCann". The evidence for the announcement has remained somewhat ambiguous, but last month, a Channel 4 documentary, produced in collaboration with The Sun, unveiled a series of disturbing finds allegedly uncovered by police in 2016 at an abandoned factory once owned by Brueckner in Neuwegersleben, eastern Germany. Among the trove were said to be toys, children's clothing – including 75 girls' swimsuits – as well as chemicals and firearms. Also found were an 80GB hard drive and laptop, USB sticks, and memory cards, some stashed in a Lidl bag beneath the remains of his deceased dog. Reportedly, some of these items contained appalling communications with paedophiles, expressing desires to "capture something small and use it for days" along with images of child abuse. There have even been assertions that there is proof of Madeleine's death. "They are certain that he's the man who did it and they do have evidence that they haven't revealed," Clarke said. However, he clarified that they require all pieces of the puzzle to engage in a "tactical game" with Brueckner, who is backed by formidable legal representation. Brueckner is due to be released from jail in September if no further charges are brought. In October last year, he was cleared by a German court of unrelated sexual offences, alleged to have taken place in Portugal between 2000 and 2017. It comes after German and Portuguese police came together this week to search every property and pieces of land linked to Brueckner, ahead of his September release. This search, the most significant since 2008, included an abandoned farmhouse surrounded by partially collapsed outbuildings. Police were spotted removing mounds of earth from the scene, which was then taken away in plastic bags for further examination. Firemen were also spotted draining an abandoned well. Now, police are investigating samples of 'clothes and bones' found in last week's search, it is claimed. Initial reports suggested the operation - which took place 30 miles from where three-year-old Madeleine went missing in May 2007 - had failed to turn up any new leads. But now, it has been claimed that fragments of clothing and bones are to undergo testing this week after being uncovered at the scene. A source told Berlin Morning Post: 'Several objects have apparently been discovered, which are now being examined in more detail by the police in the laboratory. 'As Portuguese media report, clothing debris and bones were found, among other things. 'The investigators have not officially commented on whether the finds could have anything to do with Madeleine's disappearance but that is clearly their hope.'
South Wales Guardian
an hour ago
- South Wales Guardian
Former Most Haunted Live! presenter David Bull named new chairman of Reform UK
The former television presenter and medical doctor was announced as the party's chairman at a press conference in Westminster, as leader Nigel Farage told reporters that his job would be to 'give leadership' and 'not to get involved with the admin'. The appointment of Dr Bull, who previously presented Watchdog, Tomorrow's World and Most Haunted Live!, comes after businessman Zia Yusuf resigned from the position last week following an internal row over the party's position on the burka. Speaking at the press conference, Mr Yusuf said he was 'hugely excited' that former MEP Dr Bull was taking the role. 'This party is no longer a start-up,' Mr Yusuf told reporters. 'I think it's gone to a scale-up phase … the reality is what we need now in a chairman is someone who is an incredible communicator, someone who's loved universally across the party … someone who's going to I think do a better job than me at energising volunteers on the front line.' 'I wholeheartedly congratulate him and I know he's going to do an incredible job for us,' he added. Mr Farage said Dr Bull would come to the chairman's role with 'terrific verve, energy, enthusiasm'. He described Dr Bull as a 'terrific communicator' and that his 'job is not to get involved with the admin, is not to get involved in the tech' but rather is to 'give leadership to that volunteer army out there of people'. Mr Farage also said it is 'very good' that the new chairman has television experience, telling reporters that 'message delivery and simplicity of message in politics is very important'. Mr Yusuf returned to Reform over the weekend, just 48 hours after he quit, saying he had made an 'error'. His departure followed an internal row, in which he described a question asked to the Prime Minister by the party's newest MP, Sarah Pochin, about banning the burka as 'dumb'. Mr Farage said on Tuesday he thinks the burka 'probably is anti-British' but that the issue is not going to be 'front line and centre' of their campaigning. Number 10 said on Tuesday that 'the Government just does not believe in mandating what people can and can't wear. It should be left up to people to make those decisions for themselves'. Mr Yusuf will now lead the party's plans to cut public spending – the so-called 'UK Doge', based on the US Department of Government Efficiency which was led by tech billionaire Elon Musk. He described the job on Tuesday as 'one of the most important missions this country will embark on since World War Two'. However, Mr Farage also said the party 'thought hard' about whether to keep the name Doge in the wake of Mr Musk's departure from the US administration, but polling suggested the idea was still popular. 'There was a UK name that we thought we'd use, and then what polling showed us is that one of the things that's wildly popular in the UK that's happening in America is the concept of Doge, and that Doge had seeped into public consciousness and that to attempt to rebrand that would be a hell of a difficult effort'. During the press conference Mr Farage was also asked about his party's position on the death penalty. He said he thought that the issue would be 'back within the next decade as an issue of major national debate' but described it as an issue 'of conscience' and that 'these things will not be party policy'. The Prime Minister's official spokesman later said: 'The Government is opposed to the death penalty as a matter of principle. I think it is a long-standing position of many governments of many colours and that position has not changed.' According to the latest figures from YouGov, Reform is polling at 29% when it comes to national voting intention, ahead of Labour on 23% and the Conservatives on 17%.
