Marcus Fakana, 18, fears his one year prison sentence in Dubai could be increased to two decades behind bars – but the lawyer representing him is hoping for the teen to be pardoned
A British teenager who has been jailed in Dubai over a holiday romance could see his jail term increased to 20 years.
Marcus Fakana, 18, from Tottenham, was sentenced after he had consensual sex with a British-Indian girl, who was 17 at the time, whilst on vacation. The mother of the girl reported him to the authorities in Dubai, which saw him held in the “notorious” Al Barsha Police Station for days.
Despite their relationship being legal in the UK, a 17-year-old is classed as a child under Dubai law. In the latest developments, his legal team fear prosecutors could change their mind on his one-year sentence so they don’t look “weak”.
Marcus and his family are said to be “freaking out” over the possibility that prosecutors will apply to increase his one-year term. It comes after his loved ones shared that his mental health is “deteriorating rapidly”.
His lawyer David Haigh told The Mail on Sunday: “The maximum sentence for a case like this is 20 years. It is always seen that the prosecutor really decides the sentence, but this was a low one for them. The worry is that they will not want to let this go and look weak.”
The apprentice builder is yet to be put behind bars in the infamous al-Awir central prison which has the likes of murderers, terrorists and gangsters behind bars. He is hoping to be pardoned by the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid AI Maktoum, so he can avoid a jail term altogether.
Mr Haigh stressed the “horrors of jail” could haunt Marcus and explained what the young boy could expect. “It will be terrible – particularly because he is so young and because there’s a lot of racism in these jails,” he said. “The family are very worried. They are hoping for a miracle.”
Radha Stirling, who runs Detained in Dubai, has been supporting the family with the case. She said: “They [his family] are going to wait and see if the prosecution is going to apply for a harsher sentence. That real possibility is frankly freaking the family out.”
His family shared an earlier appeal on a GoFundMe fundraiser. It said: “What was meant to be a happy time has turned into a nightmare for him, our family, and our friends. This has happened as a result of someone trying to misuse UAE law against him. He is being charged with a crime that could lead to imprisonment for up to 20 years.”