this post was submitted on 11 Dec 2024

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London teen jailed for one year in Dubai after 'holiday romance' with 17-year-old girl (www.mylondon.news)

submitted 1 week ago by ByteOnBikes@slrpnk.net to c/nottheonion@lemmy.world

179 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Marcus, from Tottenham, North London, had been enjoying a holiday with his parents when he met a fellow Brit at the same hotel. A holiday fling sparked and the pair spent time together until the girl, also from London, flew back to Britain.

In Dubai, if an adult has a sexual relationship with a person under 18, they can be prosecuted for having a sexual relationship with a minor. The relationship would be legal in the UK.

Marcus and his parents were set to fly back shortly after - but their plans were thrown into chaos when police knocked on their hotel room door. The "terrified" teenager was then reportedly hauled in for questioning without any explanation and held at the Al Barsha Police Station, DID said. He spent three days there, during which time he was not allowed to make a phone call or speak with his parents, it is claimed.

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[–] BetaBlake@lemmy.world 286 points 1 week ago (9 children)

You Europeans really gotta stop vacationing in fucking Dubai, there are way cooler places to fly to.

[–] OmegaLemmy@discuss.online 2 points 6 days ago

Literally

Cairo
Antioch
Muğla
Baghdad
Umman

[–] Woht24@lemmy.world 151 points 1 week ago (11 children)

It's fucking Dubai.. Why would you want to go there?

A monument to man's arrogance, literal slaves, rampant misogyny, homophobia Yada Yada. Terrifying laws based on ultra conservative religions. Routinely one of the hottest places in the world and extremely expensive.

Just fucking why?

[–] Tangent5280@lemmy.world 2 points 6 days ago

You just can't get the same calibre of mouth-shitting instagram whores anywhere else.

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[–] RubberElectrons@lemmy.world 54 points 1 week ago (3 children)

100%, I hated every minute of my layover wandering that shit-quality SimCity attempt, the bubble popped real fast once I talked to some locals.

I can't wait for the sand to bury that cruel slave labor shitberg.

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[–] JasminIstMuede@lemmy.blahaj.zone 276 points 1 week ago (17 children)

I will never understand why this place is idolized by so many people...

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 0 points 6 days ago

Along with what everyone else said, it's basically Las Vegas without the casinos and the booze, and with a beach.

If you don't care about politics, gambling or drinking, it's another theme park for adults.

[–] someguy3@lemmy.world 129 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (15 children)

Or why you'd even vacation there. How tf did they convince people to vacation in a desert?

[–] kautau@lemmy.world 36 points 1 week ago

FOMO. makes it seem exclusive. For whatever reason at least 50% of humans are just wired to want to feel better than everyone else. The actual experience itself doesn't matter as long as they can brag about it knowing that others weren't able to achieve it. Dubai literally has ice shipped in from melting glaciers so that rich people can put it into their drink https://arcticice.ae/

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[–] Sakychu@lemmy.blahaj.zone 51 points 1 week ago (1 children)

If you are talking about social media it is likely that they aren't allowed to post something negative about the country or else you can be fined. If you are working as an influncer in Dubai you'll need to obtain an license which regulates what you can post but you basically pay no income taxes

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[–] Phoenicianpirate@lemm.ee 137 points 1 week ago (4 children)

Fuck Dubai.

Signed me, who grew up there.

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[–] beansbeansbeans@lemmy.world 124 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Dubai is a terrible place. People need to stop going there.

[–] friend_of_satan@lemmy.world 30 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I even worry about transiting places like this.

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[–] jol@discuss.tchncs.de 83 points 1 week ago (16 children)

Hard to feel sorry about anyone travelling to Dubai.

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 2 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

I'm pretty sure his parents were the ones making the trip and he was forced to come along whether he wanted to or not what with him living under his parents' roof.

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[–] Nollij@sopuli.xyz 60 points 1 week ago (15 children)

I'm curious how the authorities were even aware of this occurring. The article says they were on holiday, so it's not like there was much time. How did anyone notice their ages? Was it just fishing for a charge because of unrelated reasons?

[–] ByteOnBikes@slrpnk.net 83 points 1 week ago (5 children)

Either

They're always watching. I'm in tech and was taught in my security training - when traveling to countries with extremely strong surveillance, assume you are bugged. Family could be high valued and they wanted something from the parents. Probably a bit too tinfoil hat.
Vengeance girl's parents could be assholes/racist. As a dude, Ive had my share of "mommy & daddy doesn't like me for taking their precious flower". Multiplier in effect if they have a problem that I'm a PoC.

[–] Dashmezzo@lemm.ee 50 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

It was the mother of the girl. She got back to the UK found out about the boy and contacted the Dubai authorities. Apparently the girl was days off her 18th birthday too. It was in the news report when he was originally arrested.

Wrecked a young man’s life for some bullshit reason.

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[–] pandapoo@sh.itjust.works 30 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (3 children)

Did you read the article?

The girls mother reported him to the Dubai police.

Hopefully her identity is revealed to the public and she faces some consequences for her actions. Maybe it's already been leaked or released elsewhere, but it wasn't in that article.

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[–] atro_city@fedia.io 44 points 1 week ago

I won't say I'll never go to Dubai, but I will say I'll do my best to never end up there.

[–] Zexks@lemmy.world 38 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Sry no sympathies. You vacation in a religiously oppressive hell hole this is what you get. Stay the fuck out of Dubai.

[–] Frog@lemmy.ca 32 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Okay look. This dude is 18. His brain isn't fully developed, he didn't even graduate from high school yet, his hormones are out of control, and he has a penis.

If you still can't see why he wasn't thinking clearly, please read this article Teen Brain: Behavior, Problem Solving, and Decision Making from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

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