British woman faces murder charge in Dubai after boyfriend's death

British woman Brooke George did not expect that her romantic relationship with a young fellow man, whom she met online, would turn into a criminal case in which she could face a death penalty if convicted of premeditated murder.

According to her account, she was living a stable and happy life in Dubai before she met the young man, but the relationship that began through social media quickly turned into suffering, as she confirmed that she was subjected to mistreatment and repeated abuse during their relationship.

She said she had previously decided to leave Dubai and distance herself from him because of what she described as his abusive behaviour, but he insisted that she return, promising to start afresh based on respect and understanding.

She agreed to return hoping to salvage the relationship, but things did not go as she had anticipated, she added.

Disputes escalated again and the insults and assaults were repeated, she said, adding that she was preparing to leave Dubai again after he had allegedly beaten her, seized her passport to prevent her from traveling and assaulted her again inside the apartment in which they lived.

She explained that during the altercation, she grabbed a knife in self-defense while being violently attacked, stressing that she did not expect the incident to end with his death.

Brooke George was arrested on June 22 by Dubai Police and was charged with premeditated murder. The case is currently subject to legal procedures in the UAE, while the competent authorities are following up on investigations to uncover the circumstances of the incident and determine criminal responsibilities according to the evidence and facts.

As soon as she was arrested, a Dubai Police source told Al Khaleej that the UAE laws apply to everyone without exception and that the accused is considered innocent until proven guilty by a final verdict.

The source added that further investigations showed that she was the killer and the competent authorities were dealing with the case in accordance with the provisions of the law, while guaranteeing all the legal rights of the accused including her being followed up by her country’s consulate.

After it was proven that she committed the crime, the law would be enforced upon her in accordance with the legislation in force in the UAE, which is based on the principles of justice, the rule of law and equality before the judiciary, it said.