Mia O'Brien, a 23-year-old British law student, has been sentenced to life in prison in Dubai, for what her mother described as a "very stupid mistake." The exact details of her offence have not been made public. However, local media reports claim she was caught with 50 grams of cocaine during a trip to the UAE in October. O'Brien pleaded not guilty, according to the Manchester Evening News.
In the UAE, drug laws are extremely stringent. A life sentence there typically means 15 to 25 years in prison. The law student from Merseyside was convicted by a judge in July. She is currently being held in Dubai's central prison. Her family last saw her in October.
Her mother, Danielle McKenna, also launched a GoFundMe page to raise money for legal fees, travel costs and prison visits. However, the fundraiser was later taken down by the platform for violating its terms of service. She has now started a Facebook page to continue fundraising.
"As her mother, I am absolutely devastated," she wrote.
Speaking to Mail Online, McKenna said Mia is devastated and feels her life is ruined. "Mia feels she has destroyed her life as she wanted to be a lawyer or solicitor. I speak to her, but she can't say too much on the phone. She's just made a stupid mistake after going over to see a friend and her boyfriend in Dubai,” her mother said.
A woman jailed for life in Dubai
September 5, 2025
Mia O'Brien, 23, was sentenced to life in a Dubai prison.
Her mother wouldn't go into detail in what Mia was sentenced for in Dubai. pic.twitter.com/A7H1DqVrmXHer mother added, "Mia is absolutely devastated. She's being really strong, but I know she is going through a living hell. The prison conditions are horrendous. There is no staff and she must bang on a door for help."
According to O'Brien's mother, her daughter is very scared as she has to sleep on a mattress on the floor. She shares the prison cell with six other inmates and has seen fights. "But she's not been ill-she has just come out in a few rashes," she added.
O'Brien's mother is hopeful that she could be sent back to the UK after Ramadan, possibly through a clemency deal.
"She just wants to come home. I want her home too - she's my only daughter. I was so shocked when she told me what had happened - I would never have thought about it in a million years," the mother added.
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