British TikToker Brooke George is being held in Dubai after being charged with premeditated murder over the fatal stabbing of a 26-year-old British man she met online.
George, 23, from Gravesend, Kent, could face the death penalty if convicted, according to Sky News. The outlet reported that George says she acted in self-defense after allegedly being assaulted.
LBC identified the man as William Treeby, 26, and reported that George was arrested after trying to board a flight back to London.
The self-defense account comes from George, her family and Detained in Dubai, the campaign group assisting her. No public court ruling has accepted that account.
Brooke George Is Charged After a Fatal Stabbing in Dubai
Sky News reported that George has been charged with premeditated murder in Dubai. The outlet said several crimes carry the death penalty in the UAE, though death sentences are often commuted to long prison terms.
Detained in Dubai said George first met the man on Facebook and travelled to Dubai after the pair developed an online relationship. The group said her first visit lasted about a week and that George described it as a happy trip.
George alleges that the second visit changed. Detained in Dubai said she became alarmed after the man allegedly became controlling and abusive and after she discovered he had booked only a one-way ticket for her.
Her Family Says She Was Trying to Leave
According to Detained in Dubai, George contacted her family in a panic after allegedly being assaulted and arranged a flight home with help from friends.
The group said George returned to the apartment to get her passport before the fatal stabbing. It said she claims she was crying, asking for her passport and was attacked again before reaching for a kitchen knife.
LBC reported that George was arrested in the early hours of June 22 and is being held in Dubai.
Her Mother Says the Call Left Her Terrified
George’s mother, Thereza George, has pleaded publicly for her daughter not to face execution.
In a separate LBC report, Thereza said Brooke sounded terrified when they spoke around the time of the incident. She said one of Brooke’s eyes appeared badly swollen and beginning to close.
Thereza said she believes her daughter was trying to get away and return home. LBC reported that she has also launched a fundraising campaign with a £75,000 target for legal costs.
Detained in Dubai Is Calling for a Fair Investigation
Detained in Dubai said George had visible injuries when she was stopped at the airport. The group has also alleged that she has faced degrading treatment in custody, language barriers and limited legal or consular access.
CBS News reported that Dubai Police and the UAE Embassy did not immediately respond to requests for comment on allegations made by George and her family through the group.
Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai, said authorities should investigate George’s self-defense claim and treat her as a possible domestic violence survivor while the case is examined.
UK Officials Say They Are Supporting Her Family
A British Foreign Office spokesperson told CBS News that officials were in touch with a British woman detained in the UAE, supporting her family and contacting local authorities.
The case remains active. George is charged with murder, and the most serious claims about the hours before the stabbing come from her side of the case.
Her family and Detained in Dubai are asking for legal access, consular support and a full investigation into her self-defense claim before the case moves further through the Dubai legal system.