British influencer faces death penalty in Dubai over fatal stabbing of man, 26

A brit influencer is facing the death penalty after she was charged with the murder of a 26-year-old man in Dubai.

Brooke George, 23, from Gravesend, Kent, travelled to the luxury Gulf city with the British man after developing a relationship online.

She is accused of fatally stabbing him, but alleges she acted in self-defence after being repeatedly assaulted.

It is understood the victim is Bill Treeby, from Rainham, Kent.

Brooke, a former John Lewis shop assistant, is now being held at the notorious Bur Dubai prison and faces the death penalty by firing squad if convicted.

But human rights group Detained in Dubai is urging authorities to treat the incident as a domestic abuse case and to release Brooke on bail pending an investigation.

CEO Radha Stirling said: “She reached for a knife after being attacked and punched in the face. Authorities must treat her as a domestic violence survivor while they investigate.”

Brooke said she met the unnamed man on Facebook and the pair flew to Dubai for a week initially, which she described as the “time of my life”.

But during their second trip, the influencer said she saw his behaviour change dramatically.

She alleges he became increasingly controlling and abusive, and that she discovered he had only booked her a one way ticket, leaving her alarmed and wanting to return home.

According to Brooke, he became intoxicated after an evening at McCafferty’s Bar in Jumeirah Village and assaulted her in the car before continuing the attack after they returned to the apartment.

The 23-year-old’s family said she contacted them in a state of panic after being punched repeatedly.

Desperate to leave the UAE, she arranged a flight home with help from friends and returned to the apartment solely to recover her passport.

The family say she was crying and begging for her passport’s return when she was punched hard in the face and attacked.

Brooke says she feared for her life and, reaching for a kitchen knife within her grasp, acted in self- defence.

She was arrested in the early hours of June 22 and charged with murder after police arrested her at Dubai airport.

Her family claim she has been forced to strip naked in front of officers at the Bur Dubai prison without a female present.

Brooke has also allegedly been given little explanation about the proceedings due to the language barrier.

Detained in Dubai said she had been deprived of access to her embassy and forced to make statements in the absence of a lawyer.

The Sun has contacted the Foreign Office for comment.

Brooke’s mother, Thereza, said: “After Brooke returned to Dubai for the second time, the dynamic between them had clearly changed.

“The day before the incident, she did not seem like herself. She was quieter and not her usual happy, cheerful self, but she did not tell me why. That evening they went to a bar in Dubai.

“When I spoke to Brooke right after the incident, she was absolutely terrified. I have never seen my daughter so frightened in my life. She was crying uncontrollably.

“I could see that one of her eyes was badly swollen and was beginning to close.

“As Brooke’s mother, I am deeply concerned for her welfare. The daughter I spoke to that night was utterly terrified.

“I firmly believe she was desperately trying to get home and away from whatever had happened to her.”

Stirling claimed that Brooke’s case is a familiar tale of female influencers being lured to Dubai with promises of luxury only to be subjected to violence.

She said: “Brooke maintains that she acted only after being subjected to a violent assault and in genuine fear for her safety.

“She should be treated not merely as an accused person, but as a presumed victim of violence whose allegations and documented injuries deserve proper investigation.

“We will be working to ensure that her rights are protected, that she receives a fair trial, and that the circumstances leading to this tragedy are fully and impartially examined.”

Stirling said there have been increasing reports of influencers, models and young women being lured to Dubai with promises of luxury lifestyles, paid work, holidays or romances, only to later allege that they faced sexual exploitation, coercion, or violence.

She added: “International organisations and law enforcement agencies have documented cases in which women were recruited under false pretences for the purpose of exploitation, including trafficking.

“Those closest to Brooke became increasingly concerned that she may have been lured to Dubai under false pretences for the purpose of exploitation.

“We are calling for Brooke to be released on bail pending the outcome of the investigation. The authorities must investigate Brooke’s allegations with the same seriousness as the allegation against her.”

Stirling said that multiple witnesses observed visible injuries immediately after the incident.

“Rather than treating Brooke solely as a murder suspect, investigators must also examine her being the victim of serious violence and possible exploitation,” she added.

“She should be afforded protection, appropriate medical care, legal representation and immediate British consular assistance while the investigation proceeds.”