Katie Price's husband Lee Andrews has been released from Dubai's Al-Awir prison, but his freedom may be short-lived as he could be sent back behind bars in a matter of days if he fails to settle his outstanding debts.
The Truth Behind His Arrest
After vanishing without a trace last month and failing to arrive in the UK, Katie claimed that her fourth husband had been 'kidnapped.' However, weeks later, Lee surfaced in the notorious Al-Awir prison, where he initially claimed he was locked up for 'espionage.' The real reason has now been exposed: Lee was jailed for thousands of pounds of unpaid debts, including to a legal firm.
According to reports, Lee has just 14 days to repay the costs, including 266,000 Dirhams (£54,000) to a car rental company, Rotanna Star, dating back to 2022. A second case, which led to his arrest, involves 74,817.50 Dirhams (£15,000) he allegedly owes to a United Arab Emirates law firm, likely for unpaid legal fees.
Legal Proceedings and Release Conditions
Representatives for Andrews petitioned the judge to release him so he could access his bank accounts to pay off the remaining debts. In a statement, they said: 'The judgment debtor appeared before the court and was questioned regarding the reason for failure to pay the debt. He stated his wife is currently outside the country and that he has been unable to access his bank account required to make payment. He requested a period of 14 days in order to settle the outstanding amount.'
It was claimed that Lee bragged behind bars that Katie would pay money to secure his release, but the former model did not part with a penny. The Sun reports that Katie helped Lee liaise with officials when he was jailed but insisted he could pay the debts himself. Now, he has two weeks to find the £69,000, or he could be rearrested and jailed again.
Lee's Claims and Social Media Return
Upon returning to social media this week, Lee told his followers that his arrest had nothing to do with fraud or any criminal activity. Another oddity was his newly grown hair. Strict rules at the Dubai jail ensure every prisoner has minimal hair to prevent lice infestation among the 6,000 inmates. However, when he returned to Instagram, he debuted a full head of hair.
Lee had previously claimed he was held at gunpoint and taken to a black site. He said: 'I was taken close to the Qatar Omani border at gunpoint and was captured by men with assault rifles.' However, Qatar and Oman do not share a border. He added: 'They did slap me around a little bit, the little s**ts. I was hand-tied, shackled and also with a hood over my head. From there I was taken to a black site and I had no use of my phone. From what I know, it was an extended arm of the national guard, and that's all I can reveal at the moment.' He claimed he signed disclaimers with state security, prohibiting him from sharing details.
