Don’t go to Dubai
Mum of Scot arrested over bar accident is too worried to sleep
THE parents of a Scot arrested in Dubai for touching a man’s hip in a bar by accident have warned others to stay away from the country.
Jamie Harron, from Stirling, is facing three years in a United Arab Emirates jail for public indecency after he placed his hand on the man so they did not bump into each other and spill their drinks.
And as his trial approaches, his mum Patricia said she cannot sleep because she was “up all night worrying”.
His dad Graham is warning Brits against visiting Dubai.
He said: “Patricia and I have not been able to relax for a moment. We never dreamed we would have to face something like this.
“We are a very close family and it is killing us to think of him spending even three nights in jail, let alone three years.
“People have to stop visiting that country. It is unacceptable that the Foreign and Common- wealth Office actually promote the UAE to British tourists.”
Jamie has been kept in Dubai for the last three months following the incident in June.
The 27-year-old electrician has spent more than £32,000 trying to resolve the matter and been stripped of his documents following the incident, which happened during a two-day stopover as he was flying to work in Afghanistan.
Jamie, who has since lost his job, attended court yesterday, where it was feared he may be jailed for failing to appear at an earlier hearing, which he claims he was not advised of.
He said: “If I had known there was a change in the court date, I would have been there.
“It is completely unfair and I can’t understand how I can be sentenced for failing to appear when I was not even informed of the hearing.”
Jamie’s legal battle began when he was enjoying a night out with friends at the Rock Bottom bar in Dubai.
After the misunderstanding, police turned up and arrested Jamie, who says he was locked up with no idea of the charge.
He said a prosecutor later told him that he had been charged with drinking alcohol and public indecency.
Jamie, who was held in the notorious Al Barsha prison before being released on bail, denies the latter charge.
He said the allegations had left him “broken”, both “financially and emotionally”.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office said they were providing consular assistance to the family.