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Original poster

Marcus Fakana gets prison sentence in Dubai.

808 replies

Ohnonotmeagain · 11/12/2024 13:56

This is the 18 year old lad who had a holiday romance with a 17 year old girl in Dubai. She was just short of 18.

her parents found out and reported him to the Dubai authorities before he returned home.

his poor parents aren’t well off and had to return home to work leaving him there.

he’s now been sentenced to 1 year in prison.

aibu to think this poor boy should never have been brought before court.

OP posts:
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11
Tess150 · 11/12/2024 17:58

Poor kid, he might be legally an adult but no one suddenly becomes a fully formed adult the minute they stop being a 17 year old child. He's a school kid. What school kid reads up on the laws of a holiday their parents are taking them on? People on here are being real twats about it.

The mother is a really nasty bit of work

SavingTheBestTillLast · 11/12/2024 17:57

iamsoshocked · 11/12/2024 17:45

I'm not completely up on this story.
So both the boy and girl are British?
Why did the mum report the boy? Is she saying she was raped?

No
They had sex on holiday
His parents knew they were in a relationship but she didn’t tell hers
Her parents went home after the holiday ( at some point found out, probably before they left ….what did they think their daughter was doing ). Once home they reported to the authorities in Dubai that the 18 year old had sex with their daughter ( she was a few weeks younger than him and so 17 )
He was arrested
The girl stayed in England
Hes now in jail.

Real1378262 · 11/12/2024 17:56

Goldenbear · 11/12/2024 17:56

Happy Christmas!

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And you to, lovely.

Goldenbear · 11/12/2024 17:56

Real1378262 · 11/12/2024 17:55

Untrue.

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Happy Christmas!

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 11/12/2024 17:56

TiramisuThief · 11/12/2024 14:20

There is some real empathy on this thread isn't there?! My goodness.

The poor lad is a child, have you never done anything inadvisable as a teen?

And for those of you braying about how it's the law - did you look up the laws of the country when you went on holidays as a young person? Of course you didn't. Why would you, he would have trusted it was safe, he was with his parents.

If anyone is to blame they are for not properly researching the destination and telling him what's what.

Really sad situation, I'm relived he's"only" got a year but that could be life changing. God only knows what prisons are like there. I hope somehow he can be released to UK custody.

I do have empathy but at 18 years old you are an adult not a child. Of course people of this age do stupid things but he shouldn’t have done what he did or googled it first.

The Dubai authorities are making an example of him disobeying their laws.

Real1378262 · 11/12/2024 17:55

Goldenbear · 11/12/2024 17:54

You clearly have none. How nice for you.

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Untrue.

iamsoshocked · 11/12/2024 17:54

Well, I feel sorry for the boy.
Yes, he should really have known the local laws etc, but honestly, it was consensual and both were above the UK legal age.
I think he was very unlucky that the girl's mum turned out to be so nasty.
If I was the boy's family I would be looking to see if the girl be made to return to Dubai to face charges too as she has admitted it was consensual. I get that she is seen as the victim though, but it might give the girl's mum a bit of a scare.

Goldenbear · 11/12/2024 17:54

Real1378262 · 11/12/2024 17:53

Right here.

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You clearly have none. How nice for you.

SavingTheBestTillLast · 11/12/2024 17:54

VisitationRights · 11/12/2024 13:58

I wish Dubai would just send him home, they gain nothing keeping him in jail. I really resent the family that reported this to authorities, they are disgusting.

I think the girl should have had to go to Dubai for the court case.
Then they could be tried alongside each other

All or nothing
Her Nasty parents waited till they were home first though.

Getonwitit · 11/12/2024 17:53

Feelingathomenow · 11/12/2024 16:16

Oh come on. He was apparently still at school!

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18 is an adult.

Real1378262 · 11/12/2024 17:53

Goldenbear · 11/12/2024 17:51

Yes, a very young one, where's your compassion.

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Right here.

Real1378262 · 11/12/2024 17:51

Goldenbear · 11/12/2024 17:51

Wind up - ignore

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I will do, thank you

Lovelysummerdays · 11/12/2024 17:51

iamsoshocked · 11/12/2024 17:45

I'm not completely up on this story.
So both the boy and girl are British?
Why did the mum report the boy? Is she saying she was raped?

She doesn’t need to say she was raped, the age of consent in Dubai is 18. Under 18 and you (legally) lack the capacity to consent to sex.

Goldenbear · 11/12/2024 17:51

Real1378262 · 11/12/2024 17:50

Yep.

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Wind up - ignore

Real1378262 · 11/12/2024 17:51

NeedMorePlasters · 11/12/2024 17:50

@Real1378262 I'm guessing two things about you:

  1. you never had a holiday romance as a teen on a family holiday
  2. you don't know much about 18 year old boys / men

You're wrong!

NeverDropYourMooncup · 11/12/2024 17:51

SoupDragon · 11/12/2024 17:32

Of course, if somebody from a country where there is no age of consent or it's lower visits here and has sexual contact with an 11 year old, by your reasoning, that's OK, then?

That is not even remotely similar to two people who are close in age with one being a couple of months under the age of consent.

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So it's OK for a 12 year old boy from one of those places to do it, then?

Goldenbear · 11/12/2024 17:51

Real1378262 · 11/12/2024 17:49

18 is but a boy though, it's a man, an adult. Incorrectly reported.

Yes, a very young one, where's your compassion.

NeedMorePlasters · 11/12/2024 17:50

@Real1378262 I'm guessing two things about you:

  1. you never had a holiday romance as a teen on a family holiday
  2. you don't know much about 18 year old boys / men
Real1378262 · 11/12/2024 17:50

PurpleCarpets · 11/12/2024 17:49

Is this in any way relevant?

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Yep.

PurpleCarpets · 11/12/2024 17:49

Real1378262 · 11/12/2024 17:47

Yes it is utter ridiculousness, at 18 going on holidays with mummy and daddy, but looking about for a sh*g while there. Lovely.

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Is this in any way relevant?

Real1378262 · 11/12/2024 17:49

18 is but a boy though, it's a man, an adult. Incorrectly reported.

Viviennemary · 11/12/2024 17:48

Why on earth people go on holiday to these places beats me. But the government should intervene.

NeedMorePlasters · 11/12/2024 17:48

@iamsoshocked

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cly2zq1yl0ko

Yes both British. Boy 18, girl was 17 yrs and 9 months when it happened. Fully consensual on both sides. Age of consent in Dubai is 18. He's been jailed for having sex with a minor. Her mum reported it to Dubai police on her return to the UK knowing the implications and knowing he was still out there and would be arrested.

Marcus Fakana in school uniform

Marcus Fakana: Briton, 18, sentenced over Dubai sex with girl, 17

Marcus Fakana has been sentenced for a year over the relationship, a campaign group in Dubai says.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cly2zq1yl0ko

Real1378262 · 11/12/2024 17:47

NeedMorePlasters · 11/12/2024 17:44

Sorry, an consenting adults having sex on holiday if their parents are there isn't compatible with what exactly? First I've heard of this. Wish I'd known because DC1 was conceived on a family holiday.

More utter ridiculousness.

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Yes it is utter ridiculousness, at 18 going on holidays with mummy and daddy, but looking about for a sh*g while there. Lovely.

Lovelysummerdays · 11/12/2024 17:46

There are lots of countries with laws different to ours concerning the age of consent. You cant expect them to make an exception just because he’s a Brit abroad. If a foreign national came over here and had sex with a 15yo foreign national as legal in their country and used that as a defence, would that be acceptable? If her parents complained to the police?

It’s obviously unfortunate for the young man but really you should make an effort to understand the laws of a country before you go.