A British holidaymaker died after being beaten and starved by cruel guards in a Dubai police station, an inquest heard. The hearing was told that Lee Brown passed away after five days in custody at the Bur Dubai police station.
The businessman was not given enough food or water, was placed in solitary confinement and did not receive the medical treatment he needed.
The 39-year-old died on April 12, 2011, and his family claimed the Foreign Office had prioritised diplomatic relations over his welfare. The builder, painter and decorator had planned to spent a few days in the city.
He was due to travel to Indonesia to visit his girlfriend after visiting the Gulf state, according to the Mirror. But after he arrived he was accused of assaulting a maid at the Burj Al Arab hotel.
Mr Brown, of Dagenham, East London, claimed she entered his room without permission - and that he was then swamped by around 20 people and dragged to the police station.
The hearing heard he may have been experiencing a mental health episode when he was taken to the prison, with family saying that is the most sensible explanation for his behaviour at the hotel.
The jury forewoman recorded a narrative conclusion of neglect, and his medical cause of death as unanswered, and said: "The factors that probably contributed to his death are as follows.
"Bruises from other detainees, guards and police officers, a lack of adequate food or water, a lack of habitable living conditions and a lack of access to necessary medical care while at the police station.
"Factors that possibly contributed to his death are a lack of access to services and adequate clothing. The neglect was by the authorities at Bur Dubai police station."
The Area Coroner for East London, Nadia Persaud, will now send a report on prevention of future deaths to the Foreign Office, raising "concerns" about the issues which arose during the inquest.
These include lack of emergency access to British nationals who are detained, warnings about the risk of detention and conditions of detention in Dubai, and a lack of clarity over the process around accessing detainees who are experiencing mental health episodes while detained.
The Coroner said: "I would like to thank the family for their assistance over the last eight years certainly to me. It has been an absolute privilege to work with Doris Brown and Lee's siblings who remained wholly dignified in the face of a lack of a response to the number of requests we made for some of the evidence which was never recovered. I hope this inquest has answered some of the questions the family had and gone some way to finding justice for Lee."
A spokesperson for the UAE Embassy in the United Kingdom said: “The UAE Embassy notes the findings of Walthamstow Coroner’s Court regarding the unfortunate death of a British national in Dubai in 2011. The Embassy renews its condolences to the family of Mr Lee Brown, and appreciates their sadness and frustration concerning his loss.
“The Jury’s verdict did not determine a cause of Mr Lee’s death, nor any unlawful killing. To the extent the Jury speculated about factors for his death, the UAE completely rejects this speculation. The UAE notes also there were serious irregularities in the inquest process and treatment of evidence, which may provide grounds for review.
“The Walthamstow Coroner’s Court ignored the prior findings of the High Court, the initial Coroner’s Court, and medial authorities in both the UK and the UAE. It relied on unsubstantiated, third-hand, hearsay claims by former anonymous prison inmates who relayed by way of written statements that they had “been told” by other prisoners that they had “overheard” guards at the prison speaking about beating Lee.
“In contrast, the UAE’s evidence, including medical records and the Prosecutor’s reporting, appears not to have been properly considered.
“The allegations were thoroughly investigated in 2011 by both UAE medical authorities and Police, and also by a British consultant pathologist appointed by Mr Brown’s family. Dubai medical examiner Dr Yosri Habib reported in 2011 that only minor injuries could be found on Mr Brown’s body, caused four or five days’ prior to his death, which “bore no relationship to the death”.
“Forensic pathologist Dr Ben Swift, appointed by Mr Brown’s family, corroborated Dr Habib’s findings, concluding that there were “no significant injuries” on Mr Brown’s body, and “no injuries present either externally or internally that could account for his death”.
“This evidence, in addition to a series of medical reports and witness statements provided to the initial inquest in 2011, led that Coroner to return an open verdict in Mr Brown’s death, meaning the cause of his passing could not be determined.
“In 2015, a High Court case brought by Mr Brown’s family challenging the Coroner’s verdict also concluded that “there was no evidence of this being a violent death”. The judgment of Lord Justice Bean and the Chief Coroner noted that “a number of rumours circulating after Lee’s death” suggested he had been beaten to death in prison. “But the medical evidence, from both Dubai and England, showed otherwise,’’ the High Court determined.
“As noted including by the Lord Justice and Chief Coroner in the High Court, Mr Brown was psychologically disturbed. He was delusional and aggressive towards hotel staff and guests, police, and fellow inmates in the days leading up to his arrest and while in custody. Evidence received from the UK’s medical authorities referred to a prior period when Mr Brown was “mentally disturbed”.
“As the evidence illustrates, the Walthamstow Coroner’s Court conclusions are neither fair nor reasonable. In line with international standards, the UAE has stringent laws, regulations, and procedures in place to ensure the physical and psychological wellbeing of all detainees. This case is unusual and unfortunate, but the UAE stands behind its treatment of Mr Brown.”
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