Marcus Fakana: The inside story of the teenager thrown in hellhole jail in Dubai for 'holiday fling'
Marcus Fakana enjoyed a holiday romance with a 17-year-old girl at the Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah where Marcus, from London, had consensual sex with her
Most teenagers should be looking forward to the week of festivities - a traditional turkey dinner, time with their family and gifts under the tree.
But Marcus Fakana won't enjoy any of these comforts. In fact, he'll endure a rather lonely Christmas indeed. For the 18-year-old man has just started a spell in a "hellhole" Dubai prison after having consensual sex.
Prosecutors accepted Marcus's argument the sex, a holiday romance at the Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah, was consensual - but it was an offence because the girl was 17, albeit just weeks away from her 18th birthday. Marcus was convicted of having underage sex and jailed for one year in Dubai earlier this month.
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It has left his family, from Tottenham, north London, despairing for help - but they and a campaign group were stunned by the response of Foreign Secretary David Lammy, also their local MP. Mr Lammy reportedly said: "It would not be appropriate for me to comment on any individual case except to say that of course as you would expect, his family have had all the full support available."
Detained in Dubai CEO Radha Stirling, a human rights group representing the family, argues this isn't true, claiming the MP feels "it is absolutely fine to see a young British tourist jailed for relations with someone who was one month away from being 18".
Sex between people under 18 is illegal in the United Arab Emirates. Marcus had sex with the girl, also from London, during a family holiday in August. Her mum found out after discovering messages sent between the pair and reported him to the local police.
Marcus was arrested at the hotel on August 31 while he was still on holiday, although he and the girl had intended to continue their relationship in the UK. He was held at the "notorious" Al Barsha Police Station for three days, unable to make a phone call or speak with his parents, according to Detained In Dubai.
And, last week, Marcus told how he was "shocked beyond belief" by the year-long sentence. Authorities in Dubai had reviewed CCTV footage showing the girl entering Marcus's bedroom in the early hours of the morning, enough to accept the sex was consensual.
It is reported the construction apprentice is now being forced to live "like a fugitive" in Dubai after being forced into in hiding, too scared to go out in public for fear he could be arrested and immediately hauled to jail. He is also said to be "freaking out" at the possibility prosecutors will apply for an increase on the one-year term.
Marcus previously told the Mirror: "I've asked my lawyer to lodge an appeal and hope we can get an expedited hearing date. Every day here is difficult, especially with prison hanging over me. I never meant to break the law. It didn't occur to me and for that I'm sorry. I am asking his Highness Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum to please forgive me and pardon me."
Speaking about the fling, he has said: "We had a wonderful time. I couldn't wait to see her again. Then police knocked on our hotel door."
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