Marcus Fakana gets prison sentence in Dubai.

So he was an 18 year old adult male.

What he did was illegal in that country.

How did his parents afford a holiday in Dubai if they are poor, it's expensive there.

Oh he only got a year. Lesson learned I guess.

I thought that too.

I used the jaywalking example because it's something completely unknown to us in the UK. We wouldn't even think about it. I don't suppose anyone would consider they were breaking a law,but it can mean a fine in some jurisdictions.
There are lots of differences in laws according to the country you are in. It really is that simple. And ignorance of the law is not a defence.

Where do those come from as you can’t receive letters or parcels by post they have to be handed into the prison and the parents have no money to keep visiting

Books ( maybe the consulate will provide some ) have to be approved by the authorities which takes a lot of time

You are also assuming there is somewhere quiet and private to read but cells have an occupancy rate of between 8 to 30 people

100% not made up. You can probably google how often this happens in Dubai … this guy is NOT the first.

Don’t know why you would think that with all the expats in Dubai that none of the teens are getting caught & reported. A teen girl gets pregnant & goes to a doctor in country … she gets reported and the man (or teen) is in trouble.

Oh I was sealioning - I know what there stance is and most importantly I know WHY their stance is. I just wanted to make them say it - which they more or less have.

😉

If what I read when this was first in the news is true the girl and her family are of a culture that has very strong views on pre marital sex I think it's probably fair to say that the majority of us don't share those views so of course we wouldn't act in such a dreadful way

You have completely made this up.

There are definitely some like that here - look at the poster calling him “disrespectful” but having no opinion on the girl’s behaviour. They always out themselves eventually.

It's a pleasure.

Fascinating…..

And explains a lot. 🙂

I call bullshit.

The difference between this situation and jaywalking, as I'm sure you will appreciate, is that jaywalking doesn't carry a prison term. We aren't discussing some abstract technicality, we are talking about a young adult spending a year in a men's prison where no-one speaks his language. Something that some posters here seem to be hugely blasé about, but he's just a black boy they don't know, right?

Surely can read study guides.

I 100% know a white boy did 1 year for same crime in Dubai.
white boy guity, 1 yr in jail for same crime, very similar circumstances where white girl parents reported him. They did not go the UK news to look for help as he was guilty. Did his time and moved on, you will not find his name in the news.

@JHound - you are arguing with someone who just wants to get a rise. Their obtuse word twisting regarding the fact that they were the one to introduce the concept of respect into this argument tells you that alone. Save your energy for a more worthy opponent.

Dubai has marketed itself very well as an aspirational travel destination, via influencers and such.

No opinion.

I absolutely agree

So Many more culturally interesting countries with better attitudes to peoples differences and not so hot!

You said his behaviour was disrespectful. The facts of the case are that it was a holiday romance not merely a “shag” as you are incorrectly reporting.

But whether a shag or a holiday romance - do you think the girl’s behaviour was equally disrespectful to her parents? You were very eager to give your opinion on the boy’s disrespect why so coy at giving a view on the girl?

Then why do you want her to be sent to jail? 🤔

Pretty sure UAE prisons aren't set up for studying, but I may be wrong

He should make the most of his time in prison - study for A levels?

I’m aware of another young man same age who did a year incarcerated for same crime in Dubai. He was 100% aware of the law, it was consensual … the girl’s parents disagreed. He & the girl both expats & resident. It’s more common than you think.

Can only think he was a total idiot, the girls parents disagreed too. But she didn’t get jail because it was considered rape.
He did his time and moved on.

It's just as likely her identity's being hidden to avoid reprisals, Theunnamedcat
I'd be very surprised if the media aren't already aware of her name but that doesn't necessarily mean they'll publish, especially if she's still a minor

That leaves the question of Maarcus or his parents divulging who she is, but we don't know if the parents even knew her name and I rather doubt Marcus now has access to a phone except under the strictest conditions