A British woman is facing the death penalty in Dubai after stabbing her boyfriend, an act she claims was in self-defence. Brooke George, 23, a TikTok star, admits inflicting the fatal wound on William Treeby but says she acted to defend herself during a violent struggle.
Incident at Dubai villa
The stabbing occurred at a villa on June 2, where Treeby suffered a single stab wound to the chest. George claims her then-boyfriend got violent with her, and she stabbed him during a struggle after he tried to stop her leaving following a row. New details from the Dubai Public Prosecution investigation state that Treeby was living in Dubai under the identity Kaspars Aglitis, as he was wanted in Britain to face trial over a cocaine conspiracy in Kent.
Prosecution evidence
Court documents claim Treeby was drunk before his death and had punched George in the face shortly before he was stabbed. Toxicology results cited by Detained in Dubai, which is supporting George's family, show Treeby had a blood alcohol concentration of 188mg/dL, or approximately 0.19 per cent. A UAE forensic expert concluded his level of intoxication was sufficient to affect his “awareness, perception and reactions”, according to the case material.
Investigators also documented fresh bruising and an injury to George's left eye, which campaigners say was consistent with witness accounts that Treeby had punched her during the journey home from a bar. CCTV used by police allegedly shows George, Treeby and a friend arriving at McCafferty’s in Jumeirah Village Circle at around 3.23pm on June 21. They spent hours drinking before leaving in the evening at around 8pm.
George's account and arrest
According to the prosecution investigation, Treeby was “agitated” and “angry” and at one stage had to be calmed by his friend. George told police she had returned to the villa to collect her things before leaving the country, but said when she opened an upstairs bedroom door, she found Treeby holding a knife. She said she was leaving but Treeby refused to let her go and tried to push her. She claims the knife fell during a struggle in which their friend intervened, before she picked it up and stabbed Treeby once.
She fled to Dubai airport with her bag, where staff noticed her injuries and emotional state and police were called, and George was subsequently arrested. She has remained in police custody ever since. She will appear in court on September 2.
Concerns over fair trial
Radha Stirling, chief executive of Detained in Dubai, said: “This is not a case where Brooke denies causing the fatal injury. The question is why it happened and whether she was defending herself. The prosecution’s own evidence confirms that Treeby was heavily intoxicated, had punched Brooke shortly beforehand, was angry and agitated, and had thrown her belongings throughout the villa.
“Brooke was subsequently described as hysterical and in shock. She is now facing a potential death sentence and it is imperative that her allegations of violence and her account of self defence receive the most rigorous examination before any irreversible judgment is made.” Stirling also raised concerns about witnesses who have since left the UAE. She said: “It is extremely difficult to secure a fair hearing in the UAE, particularly when key witnesses have left the country and are no longer available to be cross examined.”
