Brooke George, a 23-year-old British TikTok influencer with around 100,000 followers, is facing the death penalty by firing squad in Dubai after allegedly stabbing fellow Brit Bill Treeby, 26, to death. George claims she acted in self-defence after Treeby repeatedly assaulted her.
Victim's Criminal Record
Treeby was convicted of unlawful wounding and common assault at Maidstone Crown Court in December 2023 for an attack on a woman and a man. He received a 14-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, a court official confirmed. At the time of his death, Treeby was also facing trial for conspiracy to supply cocaine, after police seized cocaine, cash, and cannabis worth £80,000. He was one of seven suspects charged in March 2024 following an investigation by Kent Police's County Lines and Gangs Team.
The Incident
George, from Gravesend, Kent, travelled to Dubai after meeting Treeby on Facebook, where he allegedly organised a photoshoot. On her second trip in June, she claims Treeby booked a one-way ticket, took her passport, and attacked her when she asked for it back. After an evening out, a physical altercation occurred at an apartment, during which George says she grabbed a kitchen knife to defend herself. She arranged a flight home with help from friends but was arrested at Dubai International Airport in the early hours of June 22.
Arrest and Detention
George is being held at Bur Dubai police station. She alleges she was denied a lawyer and forced to strip naked in front of male officers, describing the experience as 'deeply humiliating and distressing.' Her mother, Thereza, said in a statement through Detained in Dubai: 'The daughter I spoke to that night was utterly terrified. I firmly believe she was desperately trying to get home and away from whatever had happened to her.'
Appeals for Release
Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai, is urging authorities to treat the case as domestic abuse and release George on bail. Stirling noted increasing reports of women being lured to Dubai with promises of luxury, only to face exploitation and violence. The Foreign Office 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.'
