An 18-year-old British teenager, Marcus Fakana, from Tottenham, north London, has been sentenced to a year in prison in Dubai for having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl, according to the advocacy group Detained in Dubai.

According to a campaign group, Fakana reportedly ?feels abandoned by the British government and Keir Starmer.

The organisation?s chief executive, Radha Stirling, condemned the sentence as an ?utter disgrace? and ?an embarrassment to Britain,? adding that, ?The UK has prioritised trade deals over people?s lives.?

The incident began in late August during a family holiday in the United Arab Emirates when Fakana met a fellow Londoner and began what the group described as a ?holiday romance.?

The girl, who has since turned 18, returned to the UK where her mother allegedly discovered pictures and messages and reported the relationship to Dubai police.

Fakana was arrested at his hotel upon his return to Dubai and detained for three days at al-Barsha police station, during which he was unable to contact his parents or make a phone call, according to Detained in Dubai.

A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said, ?We are supporting a British man in the UAE and are in contact with his family.?

Fakana, who has been held in Dubai since September, is appealing the sentence and hoping for a quick resolution. In Dubai, adults can be prosecuted for engaging in sexual relationships with minors under 18.

Stirling criticised the Labour government for its handling of the case, saying, ?The Labour government should be ashamed they have not secured the freedom of a teenage tourist. It wasn?t a difficult job.?

Fakana?s family has appealed to Dubai?s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, for clemency.

Stirling also urged caution among travellers, stating, ?I urge young people and parents to reconsider holidays in Dubai where so many people find themselves at risk of unfair and lengthy detention in prisons notorious for human rights abuses and torture. Holidaymakers should book elsewhere until Marcus is free.?

The teenager, who has been living in Airbnb accommodation costing his family ?2,000 a month, told Detained in Dubai that he and the girl ?had a wonderful time together? and ?really liked each other.? He expressed fear after his arrest and shared that Dubai authorities demanded 10,000 AED (?2,200) for bail.

The case has garnered significant public support, with a Change.org petition calling for stronger government action collecting over 40,000 signatures. A fundraiser organised by Fakana?s family has raised more than ?35,000 on GoFundMe to cover his legal fees and accommodation. (Courtesy, excluding headline, Nigerian Tribune)

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