Brooke George, 23, a British TikTok influencer detained in Dubai, is facing the death penalty if found guilty of murdering fellow Brit Bill Treeby, 26. The case has drawn international attention due to the potential death sentence in the UAE following an incident that began after the pair met online.
Bill Treeby had a criminal record, including convictions for common assault and unlawful wounding at Maidstone Crown Court in December 2023. He was sentenced to 14 months in prison, suspended for two years, for attacks involving a man and a woman. Additionally, Treeby was awaiting trial on conspiracy to supply cocaine charges linked to a Kent Police investigation.
George reportedly met Treeby through Facebook and travelled to Dubai for a photoshoot he organised. She described her first visit to Dubai as positive, calling it “the time of my life.” However, during her second trip in June, George alleges that Treeby attacked her, took her passport, and booked a one-way ticket without her consent. An altercation occurred at an apartment after an evening out, where George claims she was assaulted and used a kitchen knife in self-defence.
George was arrested at Dubai International Airport on June 22 while attempting to leave the country. She is currently being held at Bur Dubai police station, where she alleges she was denied access to a lawyer and forced to strip naked in front of male officers, describing the experience as “deeply humiliating and distressing.”
Her family, supported by the advocacy group Detained in Dubai, maintain that George acted in self-defence after repeated assaults by Treeby. George’s mother, Thereza, said, “The daughter I spoke to that night was utterly terrified. I firmly believe she was desperately trying to get home and away from whatever had happened to her.”
Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai, has called on authorities to treat the case as one of domestic abuse and to release George on bail while investigations continue. Meanwhile, Treeby’s widow, Karen, described him as a “wonderful” husband and father and expressed that she was “broken” after losing her “darling son.”
The UK Foreign Office confirmed it is in contact with George, her family, and local UAE authorities, providing support during the ongoing case. The situation has raised concerns about the safety of social media influencers and young travellers who are sometimes lured to Dubai with promises of luxury lifestyles or work, only to face coercion, violence, or exploitation.
Originally published by UKNIP.
