Mia O’Brien, a 23-year-old law student from Huyton, has reportedly been sentenced to life in prison in Dubai after allegedly being caught with 50 grams of cocaine. According to her mother, Danielle McKenna, Mia was arrested in October last year and recently convicted following a one-day trial conducted entirely in Arabic.
The court also imposed a hefty £100,000 fine. Mia, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges, is currently held at Dubai’s Central Prison — a facility known for overcrowding, unsanitary conditions, and violence.
“She is absolutely devastated,” Danielle said, speaking to MailOnline. “She’s trying to stay strong but is living through hell. She misses her two little brothers terribly and just wants to come home.”
Mia is reportedly sharing a small cell with six other women, sleeping on a mattress on the floor, and has witnessed fights among inmates. There are concerns about limited access to medical care and basic necessities.
While the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) warns travelers of strict drug laws in the UAE — including life imprisonment or even the death penalty — Mia’s family is hopeful that she may be allowed to return to the UK under a clemency deal after Ramadan.
An appeal is expected in the coming weeks. Mia’s family had launched a fundraiser to support legal costs, but the page has since been taken down.
