Family of Brit teen who faces 20 years in UAE prison over fling with UK girl speaks out

Marcus Fakana, from Tottenham, northbound London, was arrested for having a intersexual narration with the 17-year-old miss portion helium and his household were connected vacation successful the United Arab Emirates

The household of the teenager being held successful Dubai implicit a vacation romance with a 17-year-old miss has declared trying to escaped the teen is simply a immense "emotional battle".

Marcus Fakana's hopeless parents person begged HH Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai to fto their lad travel home. The 18-year-old antheral was arrested for having a intersexual narration with the girl, besides British, portion the household were connected vacation successful the United Arab Emirates (UAE). He has been detained determination awaiting proceedings aboriginal adjacent month. In a caller statement, his household said: "We are praying for the time we tin beryllium returned with Marcus."

His parents said: "We've sought assistance from Foreign caput David Lammy to guarantee his close to upheld and we inquire HH Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, to delight fto our lad travel home. This ordeal has caused america unspeakable affectional and fiscal strain and each time is an affectional battle."

The boy's family, who are from Tottenham, northbound London, said they were grateful for the continued enactment from the public, the media and friends and household who "have been unthinkable and gives america hope".

But Marcus could beryllium locked up for up to 20 years successful the UAE jail, aft the girl's furious parent recovered retired astir the fling and informed constabulary successful Dubai upon returning backmost to the UK. While the narration would person been ineligible successful the UK, nether Dubai instrumentality a 17-year-old is defined arsenic a child. The miss has since turned 18, it is understood.

The couple, who had met portion staying astatine the aforesaid edifice with their families, "had a fantastic clip together", but it is understood the miss met Marcus successful concealed arsenic she feared she could not archer her parent she was seeing a boy.

More than £24,000 has been raised to assistance the ineligible combat to instrumentality Marcus to Britain, but the household warned that a fake GoFundMe leafage is besides successful existence.

Marcus was held successful Dubai's "notorious" Al Barsha Police Station for days aft the girl's parent reported him to authorities. It is believed the parent had recovered retired astir their narration erstwhile she went done her daughter's telephone and recovered their chats and pictures, aboriginal sharing them with Dubai constabulary from the information of the UK.

Setting up a GoFundMe leafage to rise wealth for ineligible fees to bring him home, Marcus' household said: "What was meant to beryllium a blessed clip has turned into a nightmare for him, our family, and our friends. This has happened arsenic a effect of idiosyncratic trying to misuse UAE instrumentality against him.

"He is being charged with a transgression that could pb to imprisonment for up to 20 years. He is lone 18 years old, precise scared, and his intelligence wellness is starting to decline."