A British law student sentenced to 25 years in a Dubai prison she described as a 'hellhole' has been freed and returned home to Merseyside in what her family calls a 'Christmas miracle'.
Arrest and Conviction in a One-Day Trial
Mia O'Brien, 24, was arrested in Dubai in October 2024 after police reportedly stormed a flat during a party and found 50 grams of cocaine. She was subsequently convicted on charges of drug supply and possession on July 25 this year following a one-day trial conducted entirely in Arabic, a language she does not speak.
Despite pleading not guilty to the offences, Ms O'Brien was handed the quarter-century prison term and ordered to pay a fine of approximately £100,000. She was detained at the notorious Al-Awir Central Prison, often dubbed 'Dubai's Alcatraz', where she reportedly shared a filthy cell with six other women and slept on a mattress on the floor.
A Family's Campaign and a Festive Homecoming
Her release followed an intense campaign led by her family with support from the pressure group Detained in Dubai and the UK's Foreign Office. Her mother, Danielle McKenna, shared the joyous news on Facebook in the early hours of December 25, posting a video montage entitled 'She's Home'.
In the clip, Ms McKenna said: 'Home where she belongs. It's like a Christmas miracle, best Christmas ever.' Earlier in December, she had revealed her daughter's release was imminent, writing: 'She's coming home, she's coming home, my baby is coming home.' Friends celebrated the news, with one calling it 'the best Xmas present'.
Questions Over Due Process and Ongoing Appeals
The case raised significant concerns about judicial process. Radha Stirling, founder of Detained in Dubai, stated in September that Ms O'Brien was appealing the conviction, condemning the original trial as 'deeply unfair'. She criticised Dubai police for a history of 'rushing to secure convictions' without rigorous evidence.
According to reports, Ms O'Brien was arrested alongside a female friend and that friend's boyfriend. While her friend tested negative for drugs and was released, both Ms O'Brien and the boyfriend tested positive. A cellmate, also a British mother, claimed Ms O'Brien had told her she had only used 'one line of cocaine'.
The family faced challenges during their campaign, including a GoFundMe page being removed for breaching guidelines, prompting them to seek donations via other platforms. Ms McKenna also reported receiving online abuse. A Foreign Office spokesperson confirmed they had been 'supporting the family' and were in contact with UAE authorities.
While the exact mechanism of her release remains unclear, her return to Huyton, Merseyside, marks the end of a harrowing ordeal for the young law student and her relieved family.
