18-year-old Briton jailed for one year in Dubai after ‘holiday romance’ with 17-year-old girl

An 18-year-old Briton who ‘a holiday romance’ with a 17-year-old British girl in Dubai while the pair were on holiday with their families has been sentenced to one year in prison.

Marcus Fakana, from Tottenham, north London, started a secret holiday romance in September with a fellow Londoner, now 18 years old. Upon returning home, the girl’s mother discovered pictures and messages detailing the relationship and reported it to the Dubai police.

Fakana was subsequently arrested at his hotel. The head of campaign group Detained in Dubai said it was a “disgrace” and Fakana felt abandoned by the British government since his arrest in September. He’s expected to appeal against the sentence.