Marcus Fakana (Instagram: marcusfakana)
July 7, 2025
A 19-year-old British teenager who was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for having sex with a 17-year-old girl has been released from prison after receiving a pardon from the country’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
According to a report by BBC, Marcus Fakana was sentenced in December 2024 following an alleged ‘consensual relationship’ with a British girl while on holiday with his parents in the UAE.
The country’s age of consent is 18.
It is alleged that the girl’s mother reported Fakana to the UAE authorities after she saw text messages between the teenagers upon her return to the UK.
After serving six months in jail, Fakana was reportedly granted a pardon last week and has since returned home to Tottenham, north London.