British grandfather trapped in Dubai for a decade amid travel ban and homelessness
A 59-year-old former Briton, acquitted years ago, remains stranded in the UAE with no access to housing or medical care as a travel ban keeps him from leaving
A British grandfather who was acquitted in Dubai more than a decade ago remains stranded in the United Arab Emirates, homeless and unable to access medical care, as a travel ban linked to a civil matter prevents him from leaving the country. John Murphy, 59, a former British serviceman who built a life in the UAE, was arrested ten years ago after a dispute with a hotel security guard. While he was in prison, his landlord sued him for non-payment of rent, seized his possessions, and a travel ban was imposed. Lawyers describe him as trapped in an inescapable legal limbo.
In recent weeks Murphy has slept on public transport and washed in mall toilets, saying he has not eaten in days and has been living on the streets for three weeks. He says he needs urgent cancer treatment and dental care, but the inability to leave the country has left him with limited options. Although homelessness is illegal in the UAE, attempts to surrender to police were reportedly met with reluctance to arrest him, effectively leaving him in limbo rather than facing charges.
Radha Stirling, chief executive of Detained in Dubai, said the situation is outrageous: Murphy was found innocent years ago, yet he remains missing from the system, unable to receive care or secure shelter. Stirling characterized the case as a consequence of a debt-driven approach that traps people in poverty and despair and criticized authorities for preventing any movement that would allow him to seek help elsewhere. She noted that the Trump administration repatriated a number of American citizens from the UAE, while Britain and Ireland have not stepped in to assist Murphy, despite his veteran status and family ties.
A friend has started a GoFundMe page to support Murphy and has appealed directly to both the British and Irish embassies for help, but so far neither government has secured his release. The Foreign Office has been contacted for comment.
The Dubai situation has drawn renewed attention to Britons detained abroad. Earlier this month, a British woman was jailed for life in Dubai after being caught at a party with 50 grams of cocaine. Mia O'Brien, 24, of Huyton, Merseyside, pleaded not guilty to drug offences but was convicted after a one-day trial and ordered to pay a £100,000 fine. O'Brien had spent months in detention before being moved to Dubai Central Prison, also known as Al Awir, which has been described by observers as a harsh facility in the region. She joins a list of British citizens who have faced imprisonment in Dubai, including a man named Karl Williams who was jailed in 2012 after narcotics were found in his rental car, underscoring the risks for travelers and residents navigating the UAE’s legal system.
The case of Murphy highlights broader concerns about debt, travel bans and civil judgments that can restrain movement for years. As his lawyer and supporters push for government intervention, Murphy remains without a clear path home while facing deteriorating health and precarious living conditions. His plight also raises questions about access to care for expatriates who lack local sponsorship or permission to work, a situation that can complicate medical treatment and social support in a country with strict residence and debt laws.