A 23 year old British student has been jailed for life in Dubai after what her family described as “a very stupid mistake”. Mia O’Brien from Huyton, Liverpool is now in central prison, according to her mother who launched a fundraiser for help with legal and travel costs.
Her mom Danielle McKenna said: “Mia has been given a life sentence over in Dubai, and she is now in central prison. As you can all probably imagine, as her mother, I am absolutely devastated. I haven’t seen my daughter since last October.”
She also wrote in the appeal that Mia is a law student who “has never done a bad thing in her life”. McKenna added that her daughter mixed with the wrong friends, made a mistake, and is now paying the price.
McKenna asked people for support, writing: “So all I ask is if you can donate anything you can spare, even if it’s a £1, it could help up massively and I would be forever grateful. Thank you so much.”
She later updated the post to thank everyone and explained that the money would go toward sending funds to Mia, legal fees, and maybe flights for family to see her.
She said in an interview: “She’s going through it at the minute. She’s just been transferred to another prison after getting a life sentence. It’s been a massive shock.”
The family has not revealed what crime Mia was convicted of. In Dubai, life sentences often mean around 15 years and are usually given for drug trafficking, serious violence, or terrorism.
The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office warns that there is zero tolerance for drug offences in the UAE. They note that trafficking, smuggling, using, or possessing even tiny amounts can bring severe penalties including death in the worst cases.
Officials also say possession of the smallest amount can lead to at least three months in prison or heavy fines. They warn that drugs in the bloodstream count as possession and that CBD products and herbal highs are banned.
Authorities highlight that airports in the UAE use advanced scanning to catch even small traces of drugs. Travelers can be arrested for carrying residual amounts, and penalties can include prison time and fines.
