A young woman from Britain is enduring a ‘living hell’ after receiving a 25-year prison sentence in Dubai for possession of a large amount of cocaine, her mother has reported.
Mia O’Brien, 23, from Huyton, Merseyside, received a life term for having 50 grams of Class A drugs in the Middle East in October.
The law student from Liverpool University, who denied the drug charges in court, was nevertheless found guilty by a judge following a brief, day-long trial on July 25.
Alongside the prison sentence, Mia was slapped with a £100,000 fine. The cocaine she was arrested with — 50 grams — is valued at approximately £2,500 on the UK streets.
The pretty blonde is now languishing in a cell in Dubai Central Prison with six other inmates – mainly Nigerian criminals.
Her mother Danielle McKenna, 46, told the Daily Mail: ‘She is absolutely devastated.
‘Mia feels she has destroyed her life as she wanted to be a lawyer or solicitor.
‘I speak to her but she can’t say too much on the phone.
Mia O’Brien, 23, of Huyton, Merseyside, has been jailed for 25 years in Dubai after being caught with a huge stash of cocaine
Ms O’Brien’s mother, Danielle McKenna (right) is appealing for help and previously launched a fundraising page in her daughter’s name
Ms O’Brien, 23, of Huyton, Merseyside, was caught with 50 grams of the Class A drugs in the Middle East in October
‘She’s just made a stupid mistake after going over to see a friend and her boyfriend in Dubai.
‘But she paid for her own flight as she had a bit of savings. No one paid for her flight so she’s not one of these wannabe influencers.
‘I don’t think she was asked to bring anything back. She was caught with cocaine in an apartment.
‘It was about 50 grams and there were two other people – her friend included. They have been charged with drug dealing.
‘I don’t know whether the friend’s boyfriend was a drug dealer but I feel he has a lot to answer for.’
The mother-of-five added: ‘She pleaded not guilty – they don’t have a just trial over there.
‘She was just given a life sentence and has to serve 25 years. The trial was all in Arabic and Mia was told of the sentence later by her lawyer.
‘She is absolutely devastated by what has happened. Mia is being really strong but I know she is going through a living hell.
The pretty blonde is now languishing in a cell in Dubai Central Prison with six other inmates – mainly Nigerian criminals
Pictured: Dubai’s Central Prison where he 23-year-old is being held
The law student from Liverpool University, who denied drug charges in court, was nevertheless found guilty by a judge following a brief, day-long trial on July 25.
‘The prison conditions are horrendous. There are no staff really and she has to bang on a big door if she needs anything.
‘She’s seen fights and said she has been really scared.
‘Mia said she has to sleep on a mattress on the floor and shares the cell with six others.
‘But she’s not been ill – she has just come out in a few rashes.’
Dannielle said: ‘She was crying on the phone and saying: “Oh mum – please forgive me” and was trying to forgive me.
‘I was just so shocked and heartbroken as she’s never done anything like that.
‘She’s never been in trouble and is not a drug taker.
‘I don’t know what has happened but she is old enough to make her own mind up.
‘I definitely don’t think she was going to sell the drugs or bring them back.
‘It’s a lot of drugs but there are others involved and she has just been caught up in it.’
Mia has not paid the court’s 500,000 dirham fine but is due to have an appeal in the next few weeks.
Ms O’Brien has not paid the court’s 500,000 dirham fine but is due to have an appeal in the next few weeks
Ms O’Brien is being held in the city’s central prison. Her mother set up a GoFundMe page to support her
Danielle said: ‘She said she hopes that she might get sent back to serve her sentence here after Ramadan when they might do clemency deals.
‘But she is devastated by what has happened.
‘We we were all shocked by the sentence she was given.
‘But Mia is being really brave about it but she really misses her two young brothers who are aged just five and seven.
‘She just wants to come home. I want her home too – she’s my only daughter.
‘I was so shocked when she told me what had happened – I would never had thought it in a million years.
‘She can’t wait to come home. She said the prison can be scary but she’s just trying to keep her head down.’
Danielle dismissed suggestions that her daughter had been caught up in a trap.
She said: ‘I think she is innocent and has been the victim of a miscarriage of justice.
‘The drugs weren’t in little packages – I think it was in one big chunk.
‘No one paid for her to go. She was only due to go for a few days.
‘But she didn’t want to get into influencing like some of these other girls
‘She works hard for everything. I can’t say whether someone wanted her to bring the drugs back as I just don’t know. ‘
