The mother of a British student who was sentenced to life for drug-related offenses in Dubai has shared an update after her daughter received a pardon earlier this month.
Mia O’Brien was incarcerated in Dubai’s Central Prison following what her mother, Dannielle McKenna, described as a ‘stupid mistake’ in 2024.
“I haven’t seen my daughter since last October. Mia is only 23 years old and has never done a bad thing in her life,” a GoFundMe page stated.
“This is a young girl who went to university to study law and unfortunately got involved with the wrong group of friends, made a very stupid mistake, and is now facing the consequences.”
Earlier this year, Mia was sentenced to life imprisonment after being found with 50g of cocaine. Typically, a life sentence in the UAE equates to 15 to 25 years in prison, followed by deportation, along with a $135,000 fine.
She was taken into custody in October 2024 at a flat party in the city, where she tested positive for cocaine. In court, she admitted guilt but claimed she had only taken one line of the Class A drug.
“She’s just made a stupid mistake after going over to see a friend and her boyfriend in Dubai,” Dannielle told the Daily Mail.
“She was crying on the phone and saying ‘Oh mum – please forgive me’. I definitely don’t think she was going to sell the drugs or bring them back.
“It’s a lot of drugs but there are others involved and she has just been caught up in it.”
Mia had intended to challenge her conviction in the hope of serving the remainder of her sentence closer to her family.
Her family continued to seek Mia’s release until it was announced earlier this month that she had been pardoned.
Mia returned to the UK in time for Christmas, bringing immense joy to Danielle.
The mother shared a video montage with Mia on Christmas morning, celebrating that ‘she’s home’, and expressing ‘home where she belongs’.
Danielle also commented: “It’s like a Christmas miracle, best Christmas ever.”
Upon hearing the news of her daughter’s release, the mother took to Facebook to express her ‘shock’ and happiness.
In a December 3 social media post, Danielle wrote: “Thank you so much everyone, am still in shock, am buzzing, can’t wait to give her the tightest cuddle ever. She’s coming home, she’s coming home, my baby is coming home.”
Currently, the specific reasons for Mia’s release remain unknown.
Speaking to The Sun, a UAE-based legal expert commented: “They did not specify a reason for her release and such things are not made public, but keeping a young Brit in jail for 25 years would have been bad for Dubai’s PR, so I believe that would be why they decided to set her free.”