Briton jailed in Dubai over CBD vape oil ‘was beaten up by prison guards’ while Prince William visited the city for Expo event
- Billy Hood, 25, was allegedly ‘violently attacked’ by four prison guards in Dubai
- He is serving a ten-year sentence for ‘unintentionally’ possessing CBD vape oil
- It has been claimed guards beat him after he punched a wall out of ‘frustration’
- It is believed to have occurred on the same day that Prince William visited Dubai
- Duke of Cambridge was in city to meet UAE diplomats to discuss ‘sustainability’
A jailed British football coach was allegedly beaten up by prison guards in Dubai on the same day that Prince William visited the city for an Expo event.
Billy Hood, 25, from west London, was ‘violently attacked’ by four Emirati prison guards on Thursday after he punched the wall of his jail cell out of ‘frustration’, campaigners have claimed.
Mr Hood, who is serving ten years in prison for ‘unintentionally’ possessing CBD vape oil, was isolated in a cell that could only fit a mattress, according to Detained in Dubai – an organisation that helps foreign nationals arrested in the Emirate.
The alleged assault is believed to have occurred on the same day that Prince William was separately on an official visit to Dubai to meet UAE diplomats to discuss ‘sustainability’.
William’s visit to Dubai – his first official trip to the UAE and his first major overseas visit in two years – was designed to celebrate British talent, promote ties between the UK and the UAE, and champion environmental causes close to his heart.
Billy Hood (pictured) was allegedly ‘violently attacked’ by four Emirati prison guards on Thursday after he punched the wall of his jail cell out of ‘frustration’, campaigners claimed
Speaking about the alleged attack, Mr Hood’s brother Alex claimed it was not the first time his brother had been ‘assaulted while in custody’.
He said: ‘I am disgusted that the UK would ever allow this to happen to a British citizen and that they have not already intervened.’
While Mr Hood’s mother Breda called on Prince William to save her son and promote human rights in the UAE, asking the Duke to imagine how ‘you would feel if you found out your helpless son was beaten in a foreign jail’.
‘I implore Prince William to help my son, the other British nationals in prison and future visitors. If nothing is done to help Billy, how can we ever say the UAE is safe for Brits?’, she said.
‘My son is in jail for something he didn’t do. He shouldn’t even be there. I can’t understand how this has been allowed to happen. He’s being beaten in a foreign jail because his friend left CBD oil in his car.
‘What kind of a system is this? I want to be sick when I see shows and advertisements promoting Dubai. I’m disgusting to see Prince William being treated respectfully when they are clearly disrespecting him by torturing his people.’
CEO of Detained in Dubai Radha Stirling added: ‘It is abhorrent and truly shocking that the United Arab Emirates, our ally, has refused to cease the mistreatment, abuse and torture of British citizens.’
Detained in Dubai has called for urgent meetings with the Foreign Office, while the charity said a complaint would be filed with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
The alleged assault is believed to have occurred on the same day that Prince William (pictured) was separately on an official visit to Dubai to meet UAE diplomats to discuss ‘sustainability’
Ms Stirling added: ‘Unfair detention and human rights violations must be dealt with by foreign governments and it is time that the UAE was held to account for the ongoing abuse of individuals in detention.’
The alleged attack is understood to have come on the same day as Prince William’s one-day trip to the country for the Dubai Expo 2020.
William toured the Expo 2020’s $7billion grounds of the site alongside Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the son of Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
The visit was carried out at the request of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and it came in the 50th anniversary year of the UAE and coincided with the UK National Day being held at Expo 2020 Dubai.
The alleged beating comes after Mr Hood had his 25 year sentence for possessing CBD vape oil reduced to 10 years at appeal.
Mr Hood was arrested in January last year and in October convicted of drug trafficking with intent to supply after the vape oil was found in the boot of his car.
In November, his case was brought in front of an Abu Dhabi appeal court, which recognised Mr Hood had ‘unintentionally possessed’ the drugs but had no ‘intent to supply’, and reduced the term by 15 years.
Following the appeals judgement in November, Ms Stirling slammed Dubai police for ‘forcing [Mr Hood] to confess with promises of his imminent release’.
Mr Hood’s best friend Alfie Cain previously claimed he told him he was slapped, tasered, beaten for five days to make him sign a confession and only given bread and small amounts of water while in a Dubai prison.
He told Mr Cain he only signed a confession to the drugs charges, which was written in Arabic, because officers said if he did the abuse would stop.
Prince William attends Britain national day ceremony at the UK pavilion at the Dubai Expo in Dubai on Thursday, marking his first official trip to the UAE
Family members have said he was so frightened and tired that he agreed to sign a confession not knowing he had admitted to such serious crimes.
Speaking about Mr Hood’s confession, Mr Cain said: ‘Billy said they told him he could go home if he signed the paper, that’s why he gave in and signed that piece of paper in Arabic he had no idea what he signing, but he just wanted to make it stop.’
Ms Stirling previously accused the UAE of forming a ‘manufactured a case’ against Mr Hood, but the Emirate has denied this, saying that he was charged based on a number of items found in his vehicle.
A previous statement from the UAE Public Prosecution said: ‘Mr. Hood was found to be in possession of quantities of synthetic cannabis oil.
‘The Police search of Mr Hood’s vehicle found the cannabis oil, substantial amounts of cash, an electronic hookah, various storage bottles and boxes, and 570 individual cartridges to be used for substance vaping.
‘Mr. Hood was convicted based on evidence including the items found in his possession, information on his phone, third party statement, and his own confession.’
Police in Dubai are thought to have singled out Mr Hood after monitoring WhatsApp messages and looking for key words related to drugs.
A week before his arrest the friend who owned the vape liquid sent a message telling Hood he had mistakenly left it behind in his car.
Hood, who played semi-professional football for Kensington and Ealing Borough FC, was stunned when police unexpectedly turned up at his flat in January and demanded to search his home and company car.
Four small vials of vape liquid containing cannabis oil (CBD) and a vape pen were later found in the passenger door compartment.
After his arrest, Hood volunteered to take a urine test for drugs which came back negative.
Mr Hood’s best friend Alfie Cain (pictured on Good Morning Britain) previously claimed he told him he was slapped, tasered, beaten for five days to make him sign a confession
Vape liquid containing CBD (cannabis oil) is sold by high street stores in the UK and perfectly legal although they must contain less than 0.2 per cent of THC which is the ingredient that leads to users getting ‘high’.
Police also found a few thousand pounds in cash in his flat but Mr Hood’s employers told police they had paid him they money while his bank account was being set up.
He said one of the arresting officers said they were interested in 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 but in one WhatsApp message.
Pressure group Detained in Dubai believe the only explanation for police turning up unannounced could be authorities monitoring WhatsApp and reading the message about the vape liquid.
After he was handed a 25 year sentence in October, Mr Hood said in a statement released by his lawyer: ‘I do not smoke vape pens, cigarettes or even sheesha. I am very anti-drugs and spend my days coaching in schools with children.
‘I had just moved to a new home in Dubai and went to get a phone charger from my car when I was suddenly approached by police.
‘They jumped out to arrest me, handcuffed me. One officers pointed a taser at me, threatening to use it if I did not cooperate.
‘They demanded I show them where the drugs were. I was shocked and confused and told them I wasn’t in possession of any drugs.’
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