The mum of a University of Liverpool student who was handed a life sentence in a Dubai jail last year has said she’s “coming home” in a Facebook post.
Mia O’Brien, 24, was arrested on holiday in October 2024 over a “single line of cocaine”. Her mum, Dannielle McKenna, has maintained her daughter’s innocence throughout the ordeal.
Local police reportedly discovered cocaine in an apartment after raiding a party, and Mia later tested positive. The 24-year-old admitted she had taken a line of the drug but denied being involved in dealing.
The former law student was handed a 25-year sentence and a £100,000 fine following a one-day court hearing conducted entirely in Arabic. Her family repeatedly insisted the process was unfair, with Dannielle calling the conviction a “miscarriage of justice”.
via Facebook
Mia’s mum shared an update on social media that indicates she’s set to be released, writing that her daughter is “coming home”, The Sun reports.
She posted: “My baby girl is coming home. Am still in shock, am buzzing, can’t wait to give her the tightest cuddle ever.”
Dannielle added that she “can’t wait to give [Mia] the tightest cuddle ever”, though she did not explain how the alleged release had been secured. The family had previously been supported by the Foreign Office while campaigning for an appeal.
Campaigners, including Detained in Dubai, have argued Mia was treated unjustly and warned that local drug cases often relied on weak or circumstantial evidence.
Founder of the group, Radha Sitrling, said in a September news release that the 24-year-old was appealing her conviction.
She said: “Mia O’Brien is preparing to appeal her 25-year sentence in Dubai after being convicted of drug possession in a one-day trial held entirely in Arabic.
“Despite pleading not guilty, Mia was found guilty in proceedings her family and legal advisers have condemned as deeply unfair.
“Dubai police have a history of rushing to secure convictions without the rigorous evidentiary standards we expect in the UK.”
via Facebook
The campaigner added that the law student has pleaded guilty “from the start” and urged the public to “withhold judgement”, claiming the case could be one of numerous miscarriages of justice in the United Arab Emirates city.
Mia had been held at Al-Awir Central Prison, a facility known for its harsh conditions, having been dubbed the “Dubai’s version of Alcatraz” by a former inmate.
The October 204 arrest also involved a female friend and the friend’s boyfriend. While the friend tested negative and was released, Mia and the boyfriend both received 25-year terms. A former cellmate previously claimed Mia believed she had been left to take the blame.
Mia’s family had launched multiple fundraising pages to help with mounting legal costs before they were removed by various platforms. Danielle has said her daughter had “fallen in with the wrong people” while on holiday and made a “stupid mistake”.
Featured image via Facebook and GoFundMe
