British TikToker Brooke George, 23, from Gravesend, Kent, is facing execution by firing squad after being charged with the premeditated murder of her 26-year-old boyfriend, William 'Bill' Treeby, in Dubai. George, who met Treeby online and travelled with him to the Gulf city, is accused of fatally stabbing him but claims she acted in self-defence after being assaulted.
Detention Conditions and Allegations
George is being held at the Bur Dubai Police Station, described as 'notorious' by human rights group Detained in Dubai, which is assisting her. The group alleges she was forced to strip naked in front of male officers without any women present, an experience she described as deeply humiliating and distressing. According to Detained in Dubai, 'She has received little explanation of the proceedings due to the language barrier. She has been deprived of access to her embassy and forced to make statements in the absence of a lawyer.'
Previous Death in Custody at Bur Dubai Station
Bur Dubai station is the same facility where British tourist Lee Bradley Brown died in police custody in disputed circumstances in 2023. Brown, 39, was arrested after allegedly assaulting a Nepalese housekeeper at his hotel and was found dead in his cell six days later. Other British prisoners at the time alleged Brown had been 'beaten to death,' though Dubai officials denied this. Detained in Dubai founder Radha Stirling stated, 'Bur Dubai is notorious for aggression, violence and forced confessions in Arabic. There’s violence from inmates, there’s violence from police.'
Victim's Background
The victim, William 'Bill' Treeby, originally from Rainham, Kent, moved to Dubai in November 2025 and is believed to have met George online. His father, Jack Treeby, was murdered in 2010 when he was run over by a Range Rover in Tovil, near Maidstone, during a property dispute. Jack Treeby's brother Bill and nephews Billy and George Treeby were convicted of the murder. William Treeby's brother Jack Jr also suffered injuries in that incident.
Legal Process and Death Penalty
George awaits trial for premeditated murder, a crime carrying the death penalty in the UAE. According to World Coalition, the UAE executed three people in 2025 and currently has ten on death row. Executions are carried out by firing squad, with death by stoning phased out in 2020. Detained in Dubai is calling for George's release on bail, and the UK Foreign Office is in contact with UAE officials. A Foreign Office spokesperson said: 'We are in touch with a British woman detained in the UAE, we are supporting her family, and we are in contact with the local authorities.'
