Driver Pleads Guilty to Fatal Crash After Teen's Dubai Prison Release
A driver has admitted causing the death of a British teenager in a car crash in north London, shortly after the victim had been released from a prison sentence in Dubai for a holiday romance offence.
Details of the Tragic Incident
Marwaan Mohamed Huseen, aged 20, was attempting to evade pursuing Metropolitan Police officers when he crashed a BMW into a lorry in the early hours of 3 October last year. The collision occurred in Tottenham, north London, resulting in the death of 19-year-old Marcus Fakana, who was a passenger in the vehicle. A second passenger sustained serious injuries in the crash.
At Wood Green Crown Court on Friday, Huseen appeared via videolink from HMP Pentonville to plead guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He also admitted to being uninsured and unlicensed at the time of the incident.
Background of the Victim
Marcus Fakana, from Tottenham, had been freed from a Dubai prison just three months prior to the fatal crash. In the summer of 2024, while visiting the United Arab Emirates with his parents at age 18, Fakana engaged in a holiday romance with a 17-year-old girl from London. This led to his imprisonment for about a year before he received a royal pardon from Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum.
Police Pursuit and Aftermath
According to the Metropolitan Police, officers were on patrol around 12:52 am when they attempted to stop a "vehicle of interest" on Pretoria Road in Tottenham. After a short pursuit lasting approximately 60 seconds, police temporarily lost sight of the vehicle before locating it on The Roundway, where it had been involved in the collision.
Emergency services, including the London Ambulance Service and the London Air Ambulance, responded to the scene. Fakana was taken to hospital but sadly succumbed to his injuries. The police have since confirmed his identity and expressed condolences to his family.
Legal Proceedings and Sentencing
Huseen, of Argyle Road in Tottenham, has been in custody since his arrest at the crash scene. Following his guilty pleas, Judge Emma Deacon KC remanded him back into custody. He is due to submit a basis for his pleas, and a sentencing date will be set at a hearing scheduled for 27 February. Although Huseen did not enter a plea to a third charge of driving without insurance and a licence, the court was informed that he admits to lacking valid documentation at the time.
This case highlights the tragic consequences of dangerous driving and the complex international circumstances surrounding the victim's recent history.
