Antonia Bettridge: Mother ‘terrified’ as 25yo daughter faces life in jail in Dubai amid ongoing war

A distraught mother has opened up about her ongoing worry for her daughter who was arrested in Dubai and remains in custody as the Middle East war continues.

Antonia Bettridge, 25, is a UK citizen who has been living in the UAE for more than two years after moving away from St Helens, Meyerside.

But her exciting life took a turn, and she is now facing life in prison after she was accused of “possessing narcotics with intent to promote”.

Though the exact date of Ms Bettridge’s arrest is not known publicly, it is understood she was taken into custody early in February.

Drug offences carry extreme penalties in the UAE under their punitive criminal law regime - and so if convicted, the 25-year-old could face life imprisonment and a fine of more than $77,000.

According to Detained in Dubai, an NGO founded by Radha Stirling which specialises in UAE law, Dubai authorities do not require evidence of intention to promote or sell to find the accused person guilty.

In a statement, DID released comments from Ms Bettridge’s distressed mother, who has not been named.

“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.”

She explained the family’s worries have been compounded by the ongoing conflict in the region.

“With everything happening in the region at the moment, it is incredibly frightening knowing our daughter is in detention and we cannot reach her,” she said.

“We are worried sick. We just want her to be safe and to have the opportunity to prepare her defence properly.”

According to DID, Ms Bettridge first worked as a sport coach when she moved to Dubai before she later got a job in the real estate industry. She has also been studying to become a personal trainer.

In their statement, DID said the 25-year-old’s friends described her as “health focused, disciplined and committed to a lifestyle centred on fitness, yoga and organic nutrition”.

Ms Stirling said she is concerned by the way drug cases are handled in Dubai.

“We have worked on numerous cases involving British nationals caught up in Dubai’s purported zero tolerance drug regime, including the case of Andy Neal, who was detained following allegations linked to association and messaging,” she said.

“In many of these cases, wide investigative nets are cast and individuals find themselves detained before the evidential basis is meaningfully scrutinised.

“In the UAE, detention can come first and clarity later. Bail is limited, access to consistent legal advice can be difficult, and the evidential threshold does not operate in the same way it would in Britain.

“That creates enormous pressure on young expatriates who may not fully understand the system they are in. Antonia’s lawyers have applied for her bail and we are hopeful she will be able to prepare her defence from the outside where she can have free access to her legal team.”

Ms Bettridge’s family said they are focussing all their efforts on ensuring she is treated fairly.

“We just want her to have the chance to defend herself properly,” her mother said. “She is 25 years old. Her whole future is at stake.”