UK3 min(s) read
Published 16:04 08 Sep 2025 GMT
A British woman has been sentenced to life in prison in Dubai after what her family describes as a “very stupid mistake.”
Mia O’Brien, 23, from Huyton in Liverpool, is being held in Dubai’s Central Prison following her conviction earlier this year.
Her mother, Danielle McKenna, has spoken publicly about her devastation and the conditions her daughter now faces.
In a now-deleted GoFundMe, Danielle said: "I haven't seen my daughter since last October. Mia is only 23 years old and has never done a bad thing in her life.
"This is a young girl, who went to university to do law, and unfortunately got mixed up in the wrong so-called friends and made a very stupid mistake and is now paying the price."
The family initially launched the fundraiser to help cover Mia’s legal fees and travel costs to visit her in the UAE, but the page was later taken down.
Before it was removed, Danielle wrote: "I just want to thank everyone for their donations so far, this money will be used to send to my daughter Mia, and also for any legal fees that may arise, and maybe even to go towards getting family over to Dubai to see her, as none of us have seen Mia since last October, so thank you all so much."
The fundraiser was taken down, having raised £700, The Sun reports.
A spokesperson for GoFundMe told the outlet that "it was removed because it violates Term 9 of the Prohibited Conduct section in our Terms of Service."
"Term 9 prohibits raising funds on GoFundMe for the legal defence of certain alleged crimes," they explained.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Danielle added: "She's just been transferred to another prison after getting a life sentence. It's been a massive shock." She also described her daughter as “going through it” behind bars.
In the UAE, a life sentence for a non-Emirati citizen generally means 25 years in prison, followed by deportation. While Mia’s family has not publicly confirmed the exact charges she was convicted of, life sentences in Dubai are typically handed down for crimes such as drug trafficking and possession, human trafficking, murder or attempted murder, and terrorism-related offenses.
The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office has repeatedly warned British nationals about strict laws in the UAE, particularly regarding drug-related offenses. It states that authorities “count the presence of drugs in the blood stream as possession.”
The guidance also cautions: "The penalties for trafficking, smuggling, using and possessing illegal drugs (including residual amounts) are severe. Sentences for drug trafficking can include the death penalty."
For now, Mia remains in prison as her family continues to push for support and look for options to bring her back to the UK.
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