Featured Image Credit: Danni Mck/Facebook
Topics: Crime, News, UK News, World News
Lucy Devine
A 23-year-old woman from Liverpool, in the UK, has received a 25-year sentence for a crime she allegedly committed in Dubai.
Mia O'Brien is currently serving life in Dubai's Central Prison after what her mom, Dannielle McKenna, called a 'stupid mistake'.
"I haven't seen my daughter since last October. Mia is only 23 years old and has never done a bad thing in her life," a fundraiser explains.
"This is a young girl, who went to university to do law, and unfortunately got mixed up in the wrong so-called friends and made a very stupid mistake and is now paying the price."
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While it previously wasn't known what crime Mia had been sentenced for, it has now been revealed she is in prison after she was allegedly found with 50g of cocaine.
"She's just made a stupid mistake after going over to see a friend and her boyfriend in Dubai," Dannielle told the DailyMail.com.
"... She was crying on the phone and saying 'Oh mum - please forgive me'. I definitely don't think she was going to sell the drugs or bring them back.
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"It's a lot of drugs but there are others involved and she has just been caught up in it."
Dannielle has since explained that her initial fundraiser has been shut down, explaining on Facebook: "I am going to set up my own, as they [GoFundMe] are nitpicking at everything... I would just like to thank everyone."
In a statement to the publication, a GoFundMe spokesperson explained: "It was removed because it violates Term 9 of the Prohibited Conduct section in our Terms of Service.
"Term 9 prohibits raising funds on GoFundMe for the legal defence of certain alleged crimes."
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Mia is due to have an appeal in the next few weeks and is hopeful she may be allowed to serve the rest of her sentence closer to home.
"She is devastated by what has happened," said Dannielle.
"We we were all shocked by the sentence she was given.
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"But Mia is being really brave about it but she really misses her two young brothers who are aged just five and seven.
"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 had thought it in a million years.
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"She can't wait to come home. She said the prison can be scary but she's just trying to keep her head down."
An FCDO Spokesperson said: "We are supporting the family of a British woman detained in the UAE and are in contact with the local authorities."