‘Hip touch’ Briton back from Dubai after being freed
A BRITON has arrived home after being freed by authorities in Dubai for touching another man’s hip and drinking alcohol.
Jamie Harron, 27, denounced his treatment as “a total shambles” on landing at Glasgow Airport, where he was met by his relieved family.
The electrician, from Stirling, was greeted by his mother Patricia, 55, father Graham, 58, and sister Jordan, 24, on Tuesday night.
He said: “I’m very happy to be home. It’s been a shambles. It was a bad situation, to be honest. I didn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. Even now that I’m actually home, I still can’t believe that it was three-and-ahalf months. I’m looking forward to a good night’s sleep in my bed.”
Mr Harron had been working in Afghanistan before his ordeal began during a two-day stopover in the United Arab Emirates.
He was with friends in a crowded bar at the time of the incident on July 15 which he claims happened as he tried to avoid spilling a drink.
Mr Harron was charged with public indecency and spent a week in jail. Police confiscated his passport.
Let out on bail, he lost his job and racked up debt – paying more than £32,000 on legal fees and expenses.
On Sunday he was sentenced to three months in prison but the ruling was overturned after the Gulf state’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum personally intervened.
Radha Stirling of campaign group Detained in Dubai thanked the sheikh, calling his intervention “a courageous and honourable decision”.
Despite his ordeal Mr Harron has not ruled out going back to the UAE.
He added: “I would go back through work once everything has been cleared for me.”