Liverpool student ‘coming home’ after being jailed in Dubai over ‘single line of cocaine’

A University of Liverpool student is allegedly “coming home” after being jailed in Dubai over a “single line of cocaine” last year.

Mia O’Brien was arrested on holiday in October 2024, and her mum, Dannielle McKenna, has claimed her release is imminent via a Facebook post.

Local police reportedly discovered cocaine in an apartment after raiding a party, and Mia later tested positive. The 24-year-old admitted she had taken a line of the drug but denied being involved in dealing.

The former law student was handed a 25-year sentence and a £100,000 fine following a one-day court hearing conducted entirely in Arabic. Her family repeatedly insisted the process was unfair, with Dannielle calling the conviction a “miscarriage of justice” and maintaining her daughter’s innocence throughout the ordeal.

via Facebook

Mia’s mum shared an update on social media that indicates she’s set to be released, writing that her daughter is “coming home”, The Sun reports.

She posted: “My baby girl is coming home. Am still in shock, am buzzing, can’t wait to give her the tightest cuddle ever.”

However, Dannielle did not explain how the alleged release had been secured. The family had previously been supported by the Foreign Office while campaigning for an appeal, though the department has not released a statement confirming Mia’s release.

Campaigners, including Detained in Dubai, an organisation providing legal assistance to foreigners abroad, have argued Mia was treated unjustly and warned that local drug cases often relied on weak or circumstantial evidence.

Founder of the group, Radha Sitrling, said in a September news release that the 24-year-old was appealing her conviction.

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via Facebook

The campaigner added that the law student has pleaded guilty “from the start” and urged the public to “withhold judgement”, claiming the case could be one of numerous miscarriages of justice in the United Arab Emirates city.

Mia has been held at Al-Awir Central Prison, a facility known for its harsh conditions, having been dubbed the “Dubai’s version of Alcatraz” by a former inmate.

Dubai’s prison system and government deny all claims of maltreatment at Al-Awir Central Prison and allegations of unjust court proceedings.

The October 204 arrest also involved a female friend and the friend’s boyfriend. While the friend tested negative and was released, Mia and the boyfriend both received 25-year terms. A former cellmate previously claimed Mia believed she had been left to take the blame.

Mia’s family had launched multiple fundraising pages to help with mounting legal costs before they were removed by various platforms. Dannielle has said her daughter had “fallen in with the wrong people” while on holiday and made a “stupid mistake”.

Featured image via Facebook and GoFundMe