Crawford, an employee of the airline Emirates, is though to be in a life-threatening condition in jail. Photo / Supplied, Detained in Dubai
Crawford, an employee of the airline Emirates, is though to be in a life-threatening condition in jail. Photo / Supplied, Detained in Dubai
There are concerns for a British flight attendant who has reportedly fallen sick while being held in a Dubai jail after her date was busted with cannabis.
Derrin Crawford, an Emirates flight attendant from Liverpool, UK, was arrested in the Emirati city last week after police allegedly found two cannabisjoints during a raid of a man's apartment while the pair were on a first date.
Ms Crawford, 23, was arrested and taken to Dubai's notorious Al Barsha jail.
She was reportedly told she would be released if she passed a drug test, which she did, but she remains behind bars.
Ms Crawford's date, whose apartment was raided by police, is understood to be a British marketing executive from London who she met on a night out in Dubai. He was arrested at the same time as Ms Crawford and it is unclear if he has been charged.
Blood tests reportedly showed there were no drugs in Ms Crawford's system. Photo / Supplied, Facebook
Liverpool Riverside MP Kim Johnson, who is supporting Ms Crawford's family, said the young woman had not done anything wrong.
"From what I can gather a test was undertaken for drugs which proved negative, so she is being detained with what appears to be no case to answer," Ms Johnson told the BBC.
The London-based company Detained in Dubai, which helps foreigners locked up in the United Arab Emirates, is also working on Ms Crawford's case.
"Derrin Crawford's family are extremely concerned for her health," the group's chief executive Radha Stirling tweeted.
"Derrin suffers from tonsillitis which can cause her airways to close. Derrin's condition can escalate to septic (life-threatening) if left. Please arrange medical urgently."
Ms Stirling told the BBC Ms Crawford's detention was "absurd" and conditions were "appalling and dangerous".
Derrin Crawford has been jailed in Dubai after cannabis was found in the apartment of her date. Photo / Supplied, Facebook
"Derrin visited an apartment, and was arrested and detained for something she had no control over," she said.
"Human rights violations (in Dubai) are thoroughly documented. We are concerned about Derrin's safety."
Ms Crawford's sister Danielle, 28, said she had been living in Dubai since landing her dream job with the Emirates cabin crew.
She told The Sun her sister was "innocent" and simply caught in the "wrong place at the wrong time".
"The police have been trying to interrogate her, but she doesn't even know this guy," Danielle said.
Ms Crawford relocated to Dubai after landing a job with Emirates. Photo / Supplied, Facebook
"When she was arrested the police took her phone, she managed to call me a few days later when she was being transferred to jail.
"At first I couldn't understand what she was saying because she was just crying and crying. She didn't eat or sleep for days.
"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."
