A BMW driver has pleaded guilty to killing a British teenager in a high-speed crash during a police pursuit, just months after the victim was released from a Dubai prison following a royal pardon.
Tragic Collision in Tottenham
Marwaan Mohamed Huseen, aged 20, admitted causing the death of 19-year-old Marcus Fakana by dangerous driving when he appeared at Wood Green Crown Court via videolink from HMP Pentonville. The fatal collision occurred in the early hours of October 3, 2025, in Tottenham, north London, as Huseen attempted to flee from pursuing Metropolitan Police officers.
The court heard that Huseen crashed the BMW into a lorry on The Roundway, N17, resulting in the death of Mr Fakana, who was a passenger in the vehicle. A second passenger sustained serious injuries in the impact. Huseen also pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving to this other occupant.
Previous Dubai Imprisonment
Marcus Fakana had been released from Al Awir prison in Dubai just three months earlier, on July 3, 2025, following a royal pardon by Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. He had been sentenced under the Gulf state's laws after forming a consensual relationship with a 17-year-old British girl while on holiday, an offence he was reportedly unaware of at the time.
The authorities in the United Arab Emirates were alerted after the girl's mother discovered pictures and messages on her daughter's phone. Despite relentless campaigning by his family and the Detained in Dubai organisation, Mr Fakana spent months in the facility often referred to as the 'Middle East's Alcatraz' before his eventual release.
Police Pursuit Details
According to Metropolitan Police statements, officers were attempting to stop a 'vehicle of interest' in Pretoria Road, Tottenham, when the pursuit began. After approximately sixty seconds, police temporarily lost sight of the BMW before discovering it had been involved in the serious collision on The Roundway.
Emergency services including the London Ambulance Service and London Air Ambulance attended the scene. Despite their efforts, Mr Fakana was pronounced dead after being transported to hospital. The second injured passenger received medical treatment for their serious injuries.
Court Proceedings and Charges
During Friday's hearing, Judge Emma Deacon KC remanded Huseen back into custody following his guilty pleas. The defendant, of Argyle Road, Tottenham, has been in custody since his arrest at the crash scene. He is due to submit a basis for his guilty pleas at a hearing scheduled for February 27, when a sentencing date will also be set.
Although Huseen did not formally enter a plea to a third charge of driving without insurance and a licence, the court was informed that he admits to being both uninsured and unlicensed at the time of the fatal incident.
Campaigner's Heartbreak
Radha Sterling, chief executive of Detained in Dubai which had lobbied for Mr Fakana's release from prison, expressed profound sorrow following his death. She stated: 'Marcus spent the majority of this year in a Dubai prison which no doubt caused him long-lasting mental anguish. It's sad that of all of 2025, he was only free for the three months from the 3rd of July until the 3rd of October.'
Tributes were left at the scene of the crash in Tottenham, where the local community mourned the loss of the young man who had recently been reunited with his family after his overseas ordeal. The case highlights both the tragic consequences of dangerous driving and the complex international legal circumstances that preceded this domestic tragedy.
