Brit air hostess in Dubai jail after 'two cannabis joints found in date's flat'
A British air hostess has been thrown into a Dubai prison after police allegedly found cannabis in her date’s apartment during a raid.
Derrin Crawford, 23, who works for Emirates airlines and lives in the United Arab Emirates, had been out for dinner on a first date with a man when she agreed to go back to his apartment.
But his home was raided by police where they found two cannabis joints and arrested the pair on June 21, according to Derrin’s sister Danielle.
The air hostess, originally from Liverpool, is understood to have been held at a police station for several days before she was transferred to the al-Barsha prison, where inmates are held in pretrial detention.
Danielle, 28, said she received an emotional phone call from her younger sister on June 25, saying officers had agreed to let her go if blood test results showed there were no drugs in her system.
Despite the tests coming back negative on Thursday, Derrin’s family said she is still being held behind bars and is handcuffed in isolation.
Danielle said when she first received the panicked call from her sister she couldn’t tell what she was saying as she was ‘just crying and crying’, adding that Derrin hadn’t eaten or slept ‘for days’.
She told MailOnline: ‘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.
‘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.’
The air hostess told relatives she was going on a date with a British man, who she said was a marketing executive from London, after meeting him on a night out.
Derrin moved to Dubai in September 2018 after landing a job with the airline, which loved ones described as a ‘dream come true’ for the air hostess.
A petition calling for her release says: ‘Derrin has had a difficult life after losing her mum at age 11 and soon after her Aunty who was her secondary caregiver.
‘Moving to Dubai was a dream come true to her now it is a nightmare.’
It is understood the British Embassy in Dubai are looking into Derrin’s case, but have not yet visited her, according to the Mail.
The UK Foreign Office said it is now supporting Derrin and has been in touch with the Emirati authorities.
A spokesperson 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.’
But his home was raided by police where they found two cannabis joints and arrested the pair on June 21, according to Derrin’s sister Danielle.
The air hostess, originally from Liverpool, is understood to have been held at a police station for several days before she was transferred to the al-Barsha prison, where inmates are held in pretrial detention.
Danielle, 28, said she received an emotional phone call from her younger sister on June 25, saying officers had agreed to let her go if blood test results showed there were no drugs in her system.
Despite the tests coming back negative on Thursday, Derrin’s family said she is still being held behind bars and is handcuffed in isolation.
Danielle said when she first received the panicked call from her sister she couldn’t tell what she was saying as she was ‘just crying and crying’, adding that Derrin hadn’t eaten or slept ‘for days’.
She told MailOnline: ‘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.
‘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.’
The air hostess told relatives she was going on a date with a British man, who she said was a marketing executive from London, after meeting him on a night out.
Derrin moved to Dubai in September 2018 after landing a job with the airline, which loved ones described as a ‘dream come true’ for the air hostess.
A petition calling for her release says: ‘Derrin has had a difficult life after losing her mum at age 11 and soon after her Aunty who was her secondary caregiver.
‘Moving to Dubai was a dream come true to her now it is a nightmare.’
It is understood the British Embassy in Dubai are looking into Derrin’s case, but have not yet visited her, according to the Mail.
The UK Foreign Office said it is now supporting Derrin and has been in touch with the Emirati authorities.
A spokesperson 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.’
