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UAE: British football coach jailed 25 years after cannabis oil found in car

A British football coach has been jailed for 25 years in Dubai after four small bottles of vape liquid containing cannabis oil were found in his car. Cannabis is illegal in Dubai, where there is a zero tolerance on drugs.

Billy Hood, an anti-drug, non-smoking, fitness fanatic, was sentenced despite being able to prove the vape liquid belonged to a visiting friend who had mistakenly left them in his car. He was convicted by a court of drug trafficking with intent to supply.

A week before his arrest, the friend who owned the vape liquid sent a WhatsApp message telling Hood he had mistakenly left it behind in his car.

British football coach Billy Hood, 24, from London, (pictured) has been jailed for 25 years in Dubai after four small bottles of vape liquid containing cannabis oil were found in his car

Police in Dubai are thought to have singled out Hood after monitoring WhatsApp messages and looking for key words related to drugs. Hood said one of the arresting officers said they suspected him from social media but did not take his phone or computer. He maintains there was no mention of the vape liquid on social media except in one WhatsApp message.

He volunteered to take a urine test for drugs which came back negative.

Hood was held at a police station for four days where he was told if he did not sign a confession written in Arabic, he would not be allowed to leave.

Family members said he was so frightened and tired that he agreed not knowing he had admitted such serious crimes.

He was convicted of drug smuggling, possession and supply and given the maximum sentence.

His family are pinning their hopes on an appeal where lawyers will argue he was bullied into signing the confession and prove there is no evidence that the vape liquid was his.

Drug convictions are prestigious for police leading to promotions and the courts do not need substantial evidence to secure a conviction, Radha Sterling, founder of Detained in Dubai, said. Foreign nationals find it almost impossible to achieve a fair hearing and false allegations are common place, she added.

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Source
The Daily Mail
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