Brooke George, 23, could face the death penalty by firing squad if convicted of the Dubai murder charge against her — but the British TikTok star claims she acted in self-defence
A man allegedly fatally stabbed in Dubai by a British TikTok influencer had previously been found guilty of assaulting a woman.
Brooke George, 23, faces execution by firing squad if found guilty of killing fellow Briton Bill Treeby, 26, following their online encounter. Detained in Dubai – a campaign group representing her family – stated George acted in self-defence after suffering repeated assaults.
The former John Lewis retail worker, who boasts approximately 100,000 TikTok followers, reportedly travelled to the UAE after connecting with Treeby on Facebook, where he allegedly arranged a photoshoot.
The Mirror has learned that he was found guilty of unlawful wounding and common assault at Maidstone Crown Court in December 2023, relating to an attack on a woman and a man. Treeby received a 14-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, a court official confirmed.
He was scheduled to face trial next year at the same court, accused of conspiring to supply cocaine after officers recovered the Class A substance, cash and cannabis valued at £80,000. Treeby was among seven suspects charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine in March 2024 following an investigation by Kent Police’s County Lines and Gangs Team, reports the Mirror.
George, from Gravesend, Kent, remains in custody at the Gulf city’s infamous Bur Dubai police station. She described her initial visit to the country as lasting roughly a week and being positive, calling it “the time of my life”.
However, during her second visit to Dubai in June, she reportedly claimed he had purchased her a one-way ticket, confiscated her passport and assaulted her when she requested its return. An altercation occurred at a flat following an evening out together.
She maintained she was attacked and grabbed a kitchen knife in self-defence. George is understood to have organised a flight back with assistance from friends while attempting to escape, but was detained in the early hours of 22nd June at Dubai International Airport.
Following her arrest, she alleges she was refused legal representation and compelled to remove her clothing before male officers. She characterised the ordeal as “deeply humiliating and distressing”, becoming tearful when recounting it to relatives.
In a statement issued through Detained in Dubai, George’s mother, Thereza, said: “The daughter I spoke to that night was utterly terrified. I firmly believe she was desperately trying to get home and away from whatever had happened to her.”
His widow Karen – who described him as a ‘wonderful’ husband and father – wrote on Facebook this week that she was “broken” after losing her “darling son”.
Detained in Dubai CEO Radha Stirling is pressing authorities to regard the incident as a domestic abuse matter and to grant George bail while an investigation proceeds.
She went on to say: “Over recent years, there have been increasing reports of women, including social media influencers, models and young travellers, being lured to Dubai with promises of luxury lifestyles, paid work, holidays or romantic relationships, only to later allege that they were subjected to forced attendance at [degrading, sexualised] parties, sexual exploitation, coercion, violence or other degrading treatment.”
A Foreign Office spokesperson stated: “We are in touch with a British woman detained in the UAE, we are supporting her family, and we are in contact with the local authorities.”
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