Billy Hood, a 24-year-old former semi-professional footballer from Notting Hill, west London, was arrested in Dubai shortly after moving there on January 31. Hood, who played for Kensington and Ealing Borough FC, claims he was forced to sign a confession in Arabic, a language he does not understand.
Dubai police raided Billy’s home and car without prior warning and detained him in solitary confinement for 14 days without access to hygiene products. Authorities accused him of drug trafficking after discovering CBD cannabis oil in his possession. This oil is legal and commonly used in the UK to alleviate pain and anxiety.
Billy maintains that the CBD oil belonged to a friend who had visited from England two weeks before his arrest and denies all charges against him. Despite his claims, a Dubai court convicted him of drug trafficking with intent to supply, a charge that carries the death penalty in the United Arab Emirates.
Radha Stirling, CEO of the campaign group Detained in Dubai, which represents Billy’s family, stated, “Forced and coerced confessions are commonplace in Dubai.” She added that drug possession can result in a minimum four-year prison sentence, while trafficking charges risk the death penalty in the region.
Billy’s mother, Breda Hood, expressed the emotional toll the situation has taken on the family: “I have hidden myself away, crying and crying when I imagine what our sweet boy is going through. It is the worst stress I’ve ever been through and I feel helpless.” The Foreign Office is providing consular support as the family calls on both the UK and UAE governments to intervene and help secure Billy’s release.
Speaking to his lawyers, Billy said, “I have always had a zero-tolerance on any drugs or illegal substances. For me to be accused of promoting and selling drugs in a country that has the same beliefs and values as me is very upsetting as it affects my future.”
Originally published by UKNIP.
