A British woman has been held in a Dubai prison for more than two months without access to basic hygiene facilities after being arrested on suspicion of drug offences, her family has said.
Isabella Daggett, 21, from Yorkshire, had moved to Dubai in March after being offered a job in recruitment.
She was arrested five weeks after arriving and has reportedly not been able to shower or change her clothes since her detention began.
Speaking to DailyMail.com, her grandmother Heather Smith said: “Bella has been locked up because she was in the wrong company. Wrong place, wrong time. Wrong boyfriend.”
She added: “She hasn’t had a shower for a month. She hasn’t had a change of clothes for three months. She has had nothing.”
Ms Daggett had travelled to the UAE to work for a businessman who had previously employed her in internet recruitment for UK construction projects.
Her family says she was arrested alongside a man she was staying with at the time, but they deny any involvement in drug use.
“She is innocent because they have done all the tests and there was nothing in her system,” Ms Smith said. “Women get treated far worse than male prisoners. The men get to go outside, they have sports, a PlayStation and a television – Bella has nothing.”
Despite the conditions, Ms Daggett is reportedly able to speak to her mother and grandmother daily. Her family had warned her about the risks of Dubai’s strict laws prior to her trip.
“She was arrested with a lad, who was not her boyfriend, with whom she was staying because things had fallen through with another house. He may be guilty of something, but she isn’t,” said Ms Smith.
Ms Daggett’s mother, Lucinda Smith, has launched a crowdfunding campaign to support legal efforts to secure her daughter’s release.
Writing on GoFundMe, she said: “My daughter Isabella has been wrongfully detained in Dubai, and we are doing everything we can to prove her innocence and bring her back home.”
“The legal and travel expenses are overwhelming, and we need your support. Any contribution, no matter how small, will help us cover the costs of legal fees, travel, and other necessary expenses.”
Dubai authorities have not confirmed the charges against Ms Daggett. Sky News has contacted them for comment.
The case comes amid growing concerns over young British nationals being arrested abroad on serious drug charges.
Earlier this month, 18-year-old Bella Culley from County Durham was detained in Georgia after allegedly attempting to smuggle cannabis in a suitcase. She is currently being held at Women’s Penitentiary No. 5 near Tbilisi and could face a sentence of up to life in prison.
Meanwhile, 22-year-old former flight attendant Charlotte May Lee from south London was arrested in Sri Lanka after being found with 46kg of a synthetic cannabis product known as “kush”, reportedly worth £1.2m. She faces up to 25 years in jail if convicted.
Experts have warned that British women are being targeted by international drug smuggling networks that lure them with promises of money or travel.
