Ex-John Lewis shop assistant Brooke George, 23, is facing the firing squad in Dubai after she was charged with murdering a fellow Brit she met online
Brooke George, 23, is being held in the Gulf city’s notorious Bur Dubai prison, according to a pressure group(Image: Brooke George)
A young British woman is facing the firing squad in Dubai after being charged with the murder of a man she met online, it is claimed.
Ex-John Lewis shop assistant Brooke George, 23, is being held in the Gulf city’s notorious Bur Dubai prison over claims she stabbed a British man, 26, to death. Detained in Dubai – a pressure organisation representing her family – said she “acted in self defence”.
George – who is also described as a TikTok influencer with 1million followers – is accused of killing the man with a kitchen knife. She is said to have travelled to the UAE after meeting him on Facebook, where he is said to have organised a photoshoot for her in the city.
According to George, her first visit lasted about a week and was positive, describing it as “the time of my life”. However on her second trip to Dubai she said there was an altercation at an apartment after the pair enjoyed an evening at Caffreys Bar in Jumeirah Village.
She alleged she was attacked, at which point she reached “for a kitchen knife within her grasp” and “acted in self defence”.
George, from Gravesend, Kent, is said to have arranged a flight home with help from friends as she tried to flee but was arrested in the early hours of June 22 at Dubai International Airport. She was charged with murder and if convicted faces the death penalty by firing squad.
After her arrest George claims she was denied a lawyer, “forced to strip naked in front of male officers, without any female officers present”. She described the experience as “deeply humiliating and distressing, breaking down in tears when recounting it to her family”.
In a statement released through Detained in Dubai, George’s mother, Thereza, said: “As Brooke’s mother, I am deeply concerned for her welfare. The daughter I spoke to that night was utterly terrified. I firmly believe she was desperately trying to get home and away from whatever had happened to her.”
Detained in Dubai CEO Radha Stirling is urging authorities to treat the incident as a domestic abuse case and to release George on bail pending an investigation. She said: “Authorities must treat her as a domestic violence survivor while they investigate.”
She added: “We will be working to ensure that [George’s] rights are protected, that she receives a fair trial, and that the circumstances leading to this tragedy are fully and impartially examined.
“Over recent years, there have been increasing reports of women, including social media influencers, models and young travellers, being lured to Dubai with promises of luxury lifestyles, paid work, holidays or romantic relationships, only to later allege that they were subjected to forced attendance at porta-potty parties, sexual exploitation, coercion, violence or other degrading treatment.
“International organisations and law enforcement agencies have documented cases in which women were recruited under false pretences for the purpose of exploitation, including trafficking.”
Ms Stirling added: “We are calling for Brooke to be released on bail pending the outcome of the investigation. The UAE has a well documented history of criminalising and revictimising women who report violence. Victims of rape have previously faced prosecution for offences such as sex outside marriage, while Irish national Tori Towey was detained after attempting to flee alleged domestic abuse.
“The authorities must investigate Brooke’s allegations with the same seriousness as the allegation against her. Multiple witnesses observed visible injuries immediately after the incident. Rather than treating Brooke solely as a murder suspect, investigators must also examine her being the victim of serious violence and possible exploitation. She should be afforded protection, appropriate medical care, legal representation and immediate British consular assistance while the investigation proceeds.”
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office was approached for comment.
