A British woman working as a personal trainer in Dubai could face life imprisonment after being detained in the United Arab Emirates on suspicion of narcotics offences, according to legal advisers assisting her family. Antonia Bettridge, 25, from St Helens, Merseyside, is being held under the UAE’s strict drug laws after authorities accused her of “possession of narcotics with intent to promote.” The charge can carry a life sentence and a fine of up to AED 200,000 under Emirati legislation. Her detention was first reported by the Liverpool Echo, which said Bettridge is believed to have been arrested at the beginning of last month. The case has since drawn attention in the UK after her family spoke publicly through the advocacy group Detained in Dubai (DID).
Arrest in Dubai and possible life sentence
Bettridge moved to Dubai in November 2023, initially working as a sports coach before later pursuing real estate work while training to become a personal trainer. Legal advisers say she has been detained under UAE narcotics laws on suspicion of possessing drugs with intent to distribute.According to Detained in Dubai, authorities in the United Arab Emirates do not necessarily require direct evidence that drugs were intended for sale in order to pursue the charge.
Detained in Dubai warns the accusation alone could expose Antonia Bettridge to severe penalties under UAE law./ Image: X
The organisation, which has assisted foreign nationals facing legal difficulties in the UAE and wider Gulf region for more than sixteen years and says it has handled over 20,000 cases, said the accusation alone could expose the 25-year-old to severe penalties if she is convicted.
Mother speaks out through legal advisers
According to Liverpool Echo, Bettridge’s mother, who has not been publicly named, said the family is struggling to understand the situation and is deeply concerned for her daughter. Speaking through Detained in Dubai, she said: “Antonia’s whole life revolves around fitness and healthy living. She doesn’t live a party lifestyle. She moved to Dubai to build something positive for herself. We are devastated and just want clarity about what has happened.”
Two months before moving to Dubai, Antonia Bettridge received a community order for possessing £8,000 in criminal property./ Image: X
She also described the difficulty of communicating with her daughter while she remains in detention. “With everything happening in the region at the moment, it is incredibly frightening knowing our daughter is in detention and we cannot reach her. We are worried sick. We just want her to be safe and to have the opportunity to prepare her defence properly. She is 25 years old. Her whole future is at stake.”
Regional tensions add to family’s concerns
Radha Stirling, chief executive of Detained in Dubai, said the wider geopolitical situation in the Middle East has heightened anxiety for families with relatives detained in the region. She said: “When there is regional instability or security incidents, families naturally become even more concerned about loved ones who are already in a vulnerable situation.” Stirling added that defendants should be able to prepare their cases outside detention where possible. “It reinforces why allowing defendants to prepare their cases from outside detention, where appropriate, is so important. We hope the FCDO supports her application for bail pending any trial at the very least.” The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) confirmed it is aware of the case. A spokesperson said: “We are supporting a British woman detained in the UAE and are in contact with the local authorities.”
Previous conviction in the UK
Court records show Bettridge appeared at Liverpool Crown Court in September 2023, where she was convicted of possessing criminal property after police discovered £8,000 in cash in her glove compartment. The case stemmed from a traffic stop on 22 December 2021, when officers stopped her vehicle after it exited the M62 at junction nine for Winwick, Warrington. Bettridge initially told police she was not carrying any money. Officers later found £610 in her handbag and thousands more in the vehicle. Investigators later established she had driven roughly 170 miles from her home on Greenfield Road in Dentons Green to Gordano Services on the M5 near Bristol before heading back north. After admitting to possessing criminal property, Bettridge received a 12-month community order, including 75 hours of unpaid work, up to 30 days of rehabilitation activity, and was ordered to pay £1,200 in court costs. She moved to Dubai two months later, in November 2023.
Strict laws and previous cases involving Britons
Bettridge is not the first British national to face serious legal consequences under the UAE’s strict criminal laws. In one recent case, Mia O’Brien, 24, faced up to 25 years in prison after police said they found her with 50 grams of cocaine in Dubai. She was later granted a royal pardon in December, which her family described as a “Christmas miracle.” Another case involved Marcus Fakana, a 19-year-old British tourist jailed for having consensual sex with a 17-year-old while visiting the country. Although the relationship involved two British nationals, local authorities prosecuted the case because sex outside marriage is illegal in the UAE. Fakana was sentenced to one year in prison before receiving a royal pardon and returning to the UK. He later died in a traffic collision in October, three months after his release. In a separate case, Albert Douglas, 63, spent four years in a Dubai prison after being jailed in 2021 over bounced cheques linked to his son’s company, despite saying he was not involved in the business. He alleged he had been beaten and starved in custody. The United Nations later ruled he had been arbitrarily detained, and he was allowed to return to the UK in December.
Travel warnings and ongoing regional tensions
The case has also unfolded against a backdrop of rising tensions in the Middle East. Following the recent US–Israeli strikes on Iran, the UK Foreign Office has advised British nationals in the UAE to “remain inside” and “stay away from windows.” Iranian missile and drone strikes across the region have targeted sites in several Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Bahrain, disrupting air travel and causing widespread flight cancellations. Authorities have urged residents and visitors to avoid areas near military or security facilities, follow local government guidance and monitor official updates. For Bettridge and her family, however, the immediate concern remains the legal case ahead — one that could determine whether the 25-year-old faces years behind bars in Dubai.
