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UK man sentenced to 15 years for murder in Dubai
by admin ·
When you work overseas, you are subject to the laws and customs of your host country. While being a British national allows you to gain consular support and access to advice and help from the UK government, you can and will be prosecuted according to local law.
Of course, most people working abroad keep their nose clean but everyone is subject to human frailty. The difference being that if you are accustomed to UK legal conventions you can be in for a big shock if you break the law abroad.
Briton Mark Arnold has been sentenced to 15 years in Dubai for the murder of his ex girlfriend. His protestations of innocence and the fact that no body has ever been recovered and another witness claims to have spoken to the victim after her supposed murder have cut no ice with the local judiciary. The legal charity Reprieve believe that the conviction is unsound and that Arnold’s confession was extracted under duress.
While we are in no position to comment on the specifics of this particular case, it is true that legal customs vary wildly. Should you find yourself in a scrape with the local law, your first port of call should be with the local UK embassy – a list of which can be http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/find-an-embassy/. Even better, before you travel, acquaint yourself with the laws and customs of the place you are intending to work. A little research ahead of time can help you avoid serious personal repercussions.
