Grandmother of British legislation pupil jailed in Dubai over ‘single line of cocaine’ says she’s going to give her ‘the largest hug’ after she is launched early after spending a yr in ‘hellhole’ jail

The grandmother of a British law student who was facing 25 years in a hellhole Dubai jail for taking ‘a single line of cocaine’ has said she ‘can’t wait to give her the biggest hug’ after she was sensationally freed and will be home in time for Christmas.

Mia O’Brien, 23, was arrested and jailed for possessing and supplying cocaine in the Middle Eastern city last October.

The law student denied the charges but was convinced in July and had begun her lengthy sentence at the infamous Al-Awir Central Prison as her family scrabbled to help pay her £100,000 fine.

But this week she was issued a shock pardon and released meaning she can fly home immediately without paying the fine.

Speaking from her home in Huyton, Liverpool, her delighted grandmother Rose Murray, 70, told the Daily Mail: ‘I can’t wait to have her home. I will give her the biggest hug.

‘It must be two months since I spoke to her.

‘I haven’t been able to speak to her much because what money she has she spends on ringing her mum.

‘I know she was surrounded by murderers because she was doing life.’

Mia O’Brien, 23, was arrested and jailed for possessing and supplying cocaine in the Middle Eastern city last October

Ms O’Brien’s delighted grandmother Rose Murray (pictured) told the Daily Mail she ‘can’t wait’ to have her home and will welcome her with ‘the biggest hug’

Ms O’Brien was arrested with her female friend and her friend’s boyfriend after police stormed a party in a flat in October 2024 and found 50g of cocaine – worth around £2,500 in the UK.

Her friend tested negative for cocaine and was released without charge, while the other two both tested positive.

Ms O’Brien was detained in the ‘hellhole’ Al-Awir Central Prison, dubbed Dubai’s Alcatraz, reportedly sharing a filthy cell with six women and sleeping on a mattress on the floor.

Her cellmate – a mother and fellow Briton – previously told The Sun that Ms O’Brien had apparently told her she had only used ‘one line of cocaine’.

Addressing the drug charges, grandmother Rose added: ‘She has been a very silly girl. Someone was looking down on her for her to get this pardon.

‘She just didn’t think things through. Dubai just does not tolerate drugs.

‘We believe it was the boyfriend of Mia’s friend who was behind it all. It was funny that the friend got released while Mia was arrested.

‘Young people should not be carrying cases or packages for anyone else.

‘The fact she does not have to pay the £100,000 fine is a relief for all the family.

‘We have already had to pay a solicitor £9,000 because they are expensive in Dubai.

‘Most of the family did not even know she was going there and only found out after she had been arrested from friends and social media.’

Rose believes her granddaughter has been freed under Dubai law which sees the yearly release of selected prisoners.

She still has to resolve a passport issue and find another airline after being banned by Emirates, the airline she flew into the country with.

Her delighted mother Danielle McKenna, 46, announced her release on Facebook, posting: ‘Thank you so much everyone, am still in shock, am buzzing, can’t wait to give her the tightest cuddle ever.

‘She’s coming home, she’s coming home, my baby is coming home.’

Ms O’Brien was detained in the ‘hellhole’ Al-Awir Central Prison, dubbed Dubai’s Alcatraz, reportedly sharing a filthy cell with six women and sleeping on a mattress on the floor. 

Ms O’Brien’s delighted mother Danielle McKenna, 46, announced her release on Facebook 

The mother did not say how Ms O’Brien’s release had been secured but she has been assisted by the Foreign Office

Friends congratulated Ms McKenna on the news with one saying: ‘What an Xmas present – your daughter coming home.’

Another posted: ‘So glad she’s coming home. Absolute travesty that poor lassie has had to go through.’

Ms McKenna appealed for financial support via Facebook and GiveSendGo after GoFundMe removed her page, launched in September, for breaching its ‘community guidelines’.

She also reported receiving lots of abuse online about her daughter’s situation after launching the appeal.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said: ‘We are supporting the family of a British woman detained in the UAE and are in contact with the local authorities.’