A British teen who has been convicted in Dubai after having sex with a 17-year-old girl could see his jail time increased to 20 years, according to a lawyer who claims to be advising the family.
Marcus Fakana, 18, has been sentenced to one year in a Dubai jail for having a sexual relationship with a British girl one year younger than him last week (11 December).
The Tottenham resident was on holiday with his parents in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in August when a 'holiday romance blossomed' with another Londoner, who has since turned 18.
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What led to Marcus Fakana's arrest?
According to campaign group Detained in Dubai, the woman's mother reported Fakana to the police who arrested him at the hotel.
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“We really liked each other, but she was secretive with her family because they were strict,” he said.
“My parents knew about our relationship, but she couldn’t tell hers. She had to meet me without telling them it was to see a boy.”
He was excited to see her again when he got home, but then police suddenly showed up at his hotel and he was taken into custody without any explanation. Marcus was detained for three days, unable to contact his parents.
It is understood that the girl’s mother found the pair’s chats and photos when they returned to the UK and contacted police in Dubai.
At the time, she was a few months younger than Marcus and has since turned 18.
What does the law say in Dubai?
Although the relationship would have been legal in England, this is not the case in Dubai.
The law was only recently changed to allow tourists to have sex outside of marriage, but it requires both participants to be aged 18 or older.
Fakana told the Daily Mail: "Today I was sentenced to one year in Dubai prison.
"My family and I are devastated and in shock. I never intended to break the law.
"It didn’t occur to me at the time and for that, I’m sorry.
"I am asking His Highness, Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum to please forgive me and pardon me.
"Let me go home. Please give me my life back."
'The days ahead are fraught with difficulty', says lawyer
Lawyer David Haigh, who claims to be advising the Fakana family, has since warned that the teen's sentence could still increase to 20 years.
"The maximum sentence for a case like this is 20 years," he told the outlet. "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. They may want to show they have fully upheld the law to everyone watching. Marcus will play almost no part in any prosecution appeal.
"He won't be allowed to talk or address the judge and everything will be in Arabic anyway. There won't be a translator. He'll probably be pushed into court for a minute and then pushed straight out again.
"The days ahead are fraught with difficulty."
Founder of Detained in Dubai, Radha Stirling, added: "[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."
Topics: Crime, London, Parenting, UK News, World News, Dubai
Anish Vij