Mother's account of phone call before the incident
The mother of British influencer Brooke George, 23, has described a frantic phone call with her daughter hours before the alleged stabbing of her boyfriend Bill Treeby, 26, in Dubai. Thereza George said Brooke was 'crying uncontrollably' and appeared 'utterly terrified' during the conversation, with a visibly swollen eye. The TikToker from Gravesend, Kent, has been charged with murder and could face the death penalty, but claims she acted in self-defence after suffering abuse.
Details of the relationship and prior violence
According to Thereza George, the dynamic between Brooke and Treeby had changed after she returned to Dubai for a second time. 'The day before the incident, she did not seem like herself. She was quieter and not her usual happy, cheerful self,' she said. Treeby, 26, had a criminal record in the UK, including a conviction for unlawful wounding and common assault in December 2023, for which he received a 14-month suspended sentence. The mother believes her daughter was trying to escape the relationship.
Allegations of exploitation and passport withholding
Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai, said friends and family feared Brooke 'may have been lured to Dubai under false pretences for the purpose of exploitation'. There were also reports that Treeby had withheld Brooke's passport. Brooke had told friends 'things weren't right' and that she needed to escape after multiple violent episodes. Stirling urged UAE authorities to preserve and examine electronic devices to determine if Brooke was targeted.
Legal and diplomatic response
Brooke's lawyers are calling for an investigation into domestic abuse allegations. 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.' The case has drawn attention to the risks faced by women in abusive relationships abroad.
