A British TikTok influencer has been accused of murdering a man she reportedly met on Facebook in Dubai and could face execution by firing squad if convicted, a human rights organisation has said.
Brooke George, 23, a former John Lewis employee from Gravesend, is alleged to have fatally stabbed a 26-year-old British man with a kitchen knife inside his upscale apartment.
The confrontation is understood to have followed an alleged attack, with campaign group Detained in Dubai claiming Miss George had been punched and responded in self-defence.
The Daily Mail understands the man she is accused of killing is William Treeby, who is also originally from Kent.
Radha Stirling, chief executive of Detained in Dubai, is supporting Brooke’s case and says the charge carries the possibility of death by firing squad.
‘She reached for a knife after being attacked and struck in the face. The authorities must recognise her as a domestic violence survivor while the investigation continues,’ she said.
Miss George is now facing a murder allegation in the UAE after an altercation involving a British man she had met online.
Her relatives claim he initially charmed her before allegedly exploiting her, saying he took her passport and stopped her from travelling back to the UK after she became frightened.
Ms Stirling said Brooke is being held in custody at the Bur Dubai Police Station and should be granted bail by authorities in the emirate.
‘Her world has been shattered and her family left in tears,’ she added.
Brooke George, 23, a former John Lewis shop assistant from Gravesend, is accused of killing a 26-year-old fellow Brit she met online with a kitchen knife
British TikTok influencer Brooke George has been thrown in jail in Dubai, according to a human rights group
Brooke claims she was swept off her feet by the man on her first trip to the emirate – but on the second she says he took her passport and became controlling and violent
The Daily Mail understands the man she is accused of murdering is William Treeby, who is also originally from Kent
Ms Stirling said the case reflects a disturbing pattern of young British women being lured to Dubai with promises of romance and luxury, only to be exploited – sometimes sexually.
Brooke’s mother, Thereza George, said her daughter had already changed by the time of her second trip.
She said: ‘The day before the incident, she wasn’t herself. She was quieter than usual but wouldn’t tell me why. That evening they went to a bar in Dubai.
‘When I spoke to Brooke right after the incident, she was absolutely terrified. I have never seen my daughter so frightened. She was crying uncontrollably. I could see one of her eyes was badly swollen and beginning to close.
‘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 trying desperately to get home and away from whatever had happened to her.’
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Campaigners say Brooke met the 26-year-old man during an earlier trip, when he allegedly arranged a photoshoot and appeared ‘very nice’.
But on her return, he is accused of taking her passport and launching a violent attack.
She claims he assaulted her in a car after a night out at Caffreys Bar in Jumeirah Village before continuing the attack at his flat.
Fearing for her life, Brooke says she grabbed a kitchen knife ‘within her grasp’ and stabbed him.
She took back her passport, left the flat and later tried to flee the UAE but was arrested at Dubai airport and charged with murder.
Brooke is now being held at Bur Dubai Police Station.
Her family claim she was forced to strip naked in front of male officers, denied legal representation and left unable to understand proceedings due to a language barrier.
Brooke apparently fell for the man after he wooed her on her first trip to Dubai, where he also organised a photoshoot for her in the city including this shot on a beach
Brooke claims the man she stabbed was initially very kind and loving but changed when she visited him for a second time
Brooke’s family insist that she was ‘terrified’ and acted in self defence
They say she had earlier raised the alarm with loved ones in the UK after discovering he had only booked her a one-way ticket and had become controlling and abusive.
Friends helped her arrange a flight home – but she returned to the flat to retrieve her passport, where she alleges she was punched again.
Ms Stirling said the case highlights growing concerns around influencers and young women being ‘lured’ to the emirate under false pretenses.
She said: ‘Brooke maintains she acted in genuine fear for her safety after a violent assault.
‘We will ensure her rights are protected and that she receives a fair trial.’
She added that there have been increasing reports of women being drawn to Dubai with promises of luxury lifestyles, paid work or romance – only to later allege sexual exploitation, coercion and violence.
‘Those closest to Brooke feared she had been targeted,’ she said.
‘Their concerns were fuelled by his sudden change in behaviour, the one-way ticket, the photoshoot, the alleged withholding of her passport and her growing fear she needed to escape.’
Ms Stirling also called on UAE authorities to examine all devices and communications linked to the man to determine whether others may have been victims.
‘Multiple witnesses saw visible injuries immediately after the incident,’ she said.
‘Investigators must consider the possibility Brooke was a victim of serious violence, not just a suspect – and ensure she receives medical care, legal support and immediate British consular assistance.’
