British teenager dies in car crash months after being freed from Dubai jail for sex with girl

A British teenager who previously served time in Dubai for having a relationship with a 17-year-old has died in a car accident just three months after his release, a campaign group has confirmed.

Marcus Fakana, 19, passed away in hospital early Friday following a police pursuit in Tottenham, north London. The Metropolitan Police said officers attempted to stop a “vehicle of interest” on Pretoria Road around 12:52am, but briefly lost sight of it. Moments later, the car collided with another vehicle on the Roundway.

Fakana had received a royal pardon in July from Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum after being sentenced to a year in prison. His case gained attention after his arrest in the UAE, where he was accused of having a sexual relationship with a minor under Dubai law.

Radha Stirling, chief executive of Detained in Dubai, said she was “heartbroken” by the news, noting that Fakana had endured severe mental strain during his imprisonment. “Of all of 2025, Marcus was only free from July 3rd to October 3rd,” she added.

Police reported that Fakana, a passenger in the car, sustained critical injuries and died shortly after being taken to hospital. The driver, also 19, was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving and failing to stop, and remains in custody.

Stirling reflected on his death as a tragic reminder of the lost time imprisonment can cause, saying, “Every day of freedom matters.”