The mother of a British TikTok star detained in Dubai after allegedly killing her online lover in self-defence has described the 'awful conditions' her daughter is facing in prison.
Brooke George, 23, a former John Lewis shop assistant from Gravesend, is accused of stabbing a 26-year-old British man to death after flying to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to meet him. She claims she was repeatedly abused by him and turned a knife on him during a struggle.
Her mother, Tess, said her daughter is 'suffering' in detention and enduring 'physical and mental damage'. She told Metro: 'Watching your daughter go through this and being unable to bring her home is heartbreaking. To everyone else, Brooke is a name in a court case. To me, she is my little girl, and I am terrified about what could happen to her.'
Conditions in detention
Tess added: 'Brooke is locked up in overcrowded conditions at a police station notorious for Human Rights violations. It's appalling to continue to detain someone for so long pre-trial in such awful conditions.'
Brooke could face the death penalty if she is convicted of murdering her lover, William Treeby, from Kent. The TikToker was arrested in June as she tried to board a flight back to Britain and charged with premeditated murder.
According to pressure group Detained in Dubai, Brooke met Treeby on Facebook and travelled to Dubai to meet him. She claims her partner became 'controlling and abusive' and 'assaulted' her in Jumeirah Village. The influencer claims she was punched as she begged for her passport to leave, and that she stabbed him after grabbing a kitchen knife 'within her grasp' in self-defence during a struggle.
Family's fears
Mum Tess said: 'We believe Brooke was trying to protect herself. I want the court to look properly at the evidence and everything that happened to her. My greatest fear is that a decision will be made about her future without her voice truly being heard.'
Brooke attended a hearing last Wednesday and remains in detention until her next court meeting on October 28. Her family and lawyers are campaigning against the conditions she is being kept in while she waits for her trial. Tess claims Brooke is unable to sleep because of constant bright lights shining around the clock, and that she has not received sleep medication officials promised to her.
Contact restrictions
The mum is now allegedly struggling to speak with her daughter because of phone call restrictions. Tess added: 'Brooke is barely able to make a telephone call and it gets cut off very quickly. She has now been told she is not allowed to call internationally which is just not true. I haven't been able to hug her or comfort her except with words on the phone. That part is really distressing.'
She continued that Brooke is also 'not able to exercise and is suffering physically and emotionally. I am worried about what being in prison is doing to her, what kind of physical and mental damage.'
Radha Stirling, founder of Detained in Dubai who is assisting the family, said: 'Brooke is suffering terribly. Her family describes a young woman who is increasingly upset, unable to sleep and struggling to maintain even the briefest contact with home. Her mother is left wondering how much worse things will become before she hears her daughter's voice again.'
She continued: 'Brooke remains in temporary police detention, with her family reporting constant bright lights, broken sleep and increasing distress. These facilities were never designed for long term habitation. Brooke needs to know she has not been forgotten. Her family needs to be able to speak to her, and her worsening distress needs proper medical attention. Whatever the allegations, she is entitled to humane treatment while her case is heard.'
Tess and Ms Stirling continue to raise her case with the Foreign Office and UAE authorities. An FCDO spokesperson said: 'We are in contact with a British woman detained in the UAE and are supporting her family. We are in contact with the relevant authorities in the UAE and the UK.' The UAE Embassy have been contacted for comment.
