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Briton, 18, 'very scared' as he faces jail for Dubai fling

November 24, 2024

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The Independent

Family say teenager's mental health is starting to decline

- MAYA OPPENHEIM

Briton, 18, 'very scared' as he faces jail for Dubai fling

The family of a young British man facing a 20-year jail sentence in Dubai over a holiday romance have warned that his mental health is declining and they are all living in a “nightmare".

Marcus Fakana, an 18-year-old from Tottenham in north London, was on holiday with his parents when he met a 17-yearold girl who has since turned 18.

Campaign group Detained in Dubai said that after having sex, the teenagers, who were staying at the same hotel, discussed carrying on with their “blossoming” teenage romance when they came back to London.

The parents of the girl, who was a minor under United Arab Emirates (UAE) law, looked through her phone and reported Mr Fakana to the police after they arrived home from their trip, the organisation said.

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