British air hostess arrested in Dubai in a drugs bust during a first date is living off of bread and water in prison, her family say
- Derrin Crawford, 23, went out for dinner with a man and went back to his flat
- The apartment in Dubai was raided by police who found two cannabis joints
- British air hostess, from Liverpool, was held in a police station for several days
- Officers 'agreed to let her go if she tested negative for drugs' but she is still in jail
The family of a British air hostess arrested in Dubai last month on drugs charges have said she is living off of bread and water in prison.
Derrin Crawford, 23, who works for Emirates and is based in the UAE, had been out for dinner with a man and agreed to go back to his apartment when it was raided by officers who found two cannabis joints at the scene.
Ms Crawford, who is from Liverpool, was thrown into the infamous Al-Barsha jail on June 21, where her family said she has been forced to confess and fed on just bread, water and jam.
MP for Liverpool Riverside Kim Johnson told the BBC Ms Crawford's family have also been denied access since last Sunday.
'They have not been allowed to take in toiletries and food. According to family members she is existing on water, bread and jam,' Ms Johnson said.
Derrin Crawford, 23, who works for Emirates and is based in the UAE, had been out for dinner with the man and agreed to go back to his apartment when it was raided by officers
Derrin Crawford, British air hostess, 23, has been living off bread and water in a Dubai jail after being forced into a fake confession over cannabis joints
Derrin Crawford, British air hostess, 23, has been living off bread and water in a Dubai jail after being forced into a fake confession over cannabis joints
Her sister, Danielle, 28, told the Mail earlier this week that police found two cannabis joints and arrested the pair.
Derrin, from Liverpool, was held in a police station for several days before being transferred to the notorious Al Barsha jail. In a tearful phone call home, she told Danielle that she had undergone blood tests for drugs and officers had agreed to let her go if they proved negative.
Although the tests came in on Thursday – and proved Derrin had no drugs in her system - she is still in jail.
Danielle said: 'She is innocent, she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. The police have been trying to interrogate her, but she doesn't even know this guy.
Derrin, who lost her mother aged 11, and was raised by an aunt, moved to Dubai in September 2018 after securing a job with the airline. She was arrested on June 21 and managed to alert her family on June 25
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'When she was arrested the police took her phone, she managed to call me a few days later when she was being transferred to jail. At first I couldn't understand what she was saying because she was just crying and crying. She didn't eat or sleep for days.
'She doesn't drink or smoke and has a good job with Emirates, so it is a shame she has got caught up in all this. She's only 23 and is just so scared.'
Derrin, who lost her mother aged 11, and was raised by an aunt, moved to Dubai in September 2018 after securing a job with the airline.
She was arrested on June 21 and managed to alert her family on June 25. She is being kept in handcuffs in isolation in the prison.
The air hostess told relatives that she agreed to go on a date with the man, believed to be a fellow Brit and a marketing executive, from London, after meeting him on a night out
The air hostess told relatives that she agreed to go on a date with the man, believed to be a fellow Brit and a marketing executive, from London, after meeting him on a night out.
The British Embassy in Dubai are understood to be looking into Derrin's case, but have not yet visited her.
Danielle added: 'I'm trying to get her a solicitor but I'm really concerned for her welfare.'
A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: 'We are supporting a British woman who is currently detained in the UAE and will look to visit her when local lockdown restrictions are lifted. We are in contact with Emirati authorities and have provided details of local lawyers to her family.'
A Dubai Police spokesperson: 'Two British nationals were arrested on suspicion of possession of narcotics with the intent to supply.
'They were taken into custody and charged with possession of cannabis, pills, and other items that are classified as illegal substances in the United Arab Emirates. The Dubai Police has referred the case to the Public Prosecution and the accused are currently out on bail.
'The UAE has a zero-tolerance policy for the recreational use of drugs. The penalty for personal possession can be up to 10 years imprisonment, and drug trafficking can result in a life sentence.'
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