‘Hellish’ prison conditions British law student jailed for life in Dubai faced after ‘very stupid mistake’

A 23-year-old British student has been jailed for life after what her mother has controversially referred to as a 'very stupid mistake'.

In October of last year, Mia O'Brien, a Merseyside native who studied law at Liverpool University, was arrested after allegedly being found with 50 grams of cocaine at an apartment in Dubai.

According to Mia's mother, 46-year-old Danielle McKenna, the uni student was arrested alongside two other people - her friend and the friend's boyfriend - with all three being charged with drug dealing.

Mia, who pleaded not guilty before a judge convicted her after a one-day hearing a few months back (25 July), was landed with a 25-year sentence behind bars at Dubai Central Prison, also known as Al-Awir, which has been compared to Alcatraz, as well as a staggering £100,000 fine.

Mia O'Brien, a 23-year-old law student from Liverpool, was arrested last October after 50g of cocaine was found in her Dubai apartment (GoFundMe)

Inside Dubai Central Prison

While Mia was originally reported to have been held in Dubai's Central Prison, her mother has since confirmed that she'd been transferred to another one following her sentence, so she's no longer staying there.

Dubai Central Prison is pretty notorious, given the serious allegations and conditions reported by prisoners and media.

It holds approximately 4,000 inmates, per the Independent, and is comprised of four main blocks: separate buildings for male inmates serving over or under six months, female inmates, juvenile prisoners, and a remand block, according to Gov.uk.

Each block contains four wings; each wing has about ten rooms (5 m²), housing 4-6 beds with attached bathroom, plus a recreation room with TV and telephone.

In the 'out' jail, which is used for sentences under six months, dorms with 400 beds have sometimes held double the capacity, forcing some to sleep on the floor.

Various reports have described frequent violence, including electrocution, sexual assault, and beatings by inmates or guards, sometimes framed as 'hellhole' conditions.

Mia was originally reported to have been held in Dubai's Central Prison but has since been transferred elsewhere (GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images)

'Absolutely devastated'

Speaking of her daughter's state of mind, mother Danielle told the Daily Mail: "She is absolutely devastated by what has happened. Mia is being really strong but I know she is going through a living hell. The prison conditions are horrendous. There are no staff really and she has to bang on a big door if she needs anything.

"She's seen fights and said she has been really scared. Mia said she has to sleep on a mattress on the floor and shares the cell with six others. But she's not been ill - she has just come out in a few rashes."

The mother added: "She said she hopes that she might get sent back to serve her sentence here after Ramadan when they might do clemency deals. But she is devastated by what has happened. We we were all shocked by the sentence she was given.

"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. She can't wait to come home. She said the prison can be scary but she's just trying to keep her head down."

Mia has been left 'absolutely devastated' by the ordeal (GoFundMe)

GoFundMe controversy

Danielle previously made what went on to be a controversial decision in setting up a GoFundMe for Mia, writing on the now-deleted post: "Mia has been given a life sentence over in Dubai, and she is now in central prison.

"As you can all probably imagine, as her mother, I am absolutely devastated.

"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."

The fundraiser went on: "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."

Danielle has been called out online after referring to Mia's drug dealing charges as a 'stupid mistake' (Facebook)

Danielle's latest statements

In her latest update (7 September), Danielle took to Facebook to share her details online, allowing people to donate money directly to her bank.

"Seems as the GoFundMe are being absolute c*nts," she hit out, before declaring: "I am going to set up my own, as they are nitpicking at everything, so they can shove there [sic] cut up there [sic] a*se, call themselves a charity, but make sure they take a percentage out of every donation.

"So if you would like to donate, please send it to [...] and I would just like to thank everyone."

The GoFundMe page, which Danielle said was set up to be used to cover legal fees and travel costs, allowing Mia’s family to visit, was deleted by the website for violating its guidelines.

A GoFundMe spokesperson said (via The Sun): "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."