I moved to Dubai for a better life... but ended up in jail for unpaid rent: Brit mum is arrested, strip-searched and thrown in squalid cell over debts - and now faces 'indefinite' prison time

By HANNAH ROBINSON and ELIANA SILVER, SENIOR FOREIGN NEWS REPORTER Published: 14:05, 17 July 2026 | Updated: 14:11, 17 July 2026 A British mum claims her dream new life in Dubai turned into a 'horror movie' when she was thrown into a hellhole jail over £22,000 worth of unpaid rent. Kerry Nwachukwu and her adult son moved to Dubai in August 2022 in search of a better work-life balance and more opportunities. However, the marketing consultant quickly ran into financial issues after leaving her job in 2023 and claims she didn't receive her full salary. The 44-year-old said she spent eight months trying to claw back the unpaid cash through a UAE court, and it took eight months to be awarded £8,125. During this time, Kerry set up her own marketing agency but said clients didn't pay their invoices, leaving her £10,000 out of pocket and only able to afford some rental payments. After racking up £22,000 in debt, her landlord won a court case at the Rental Disputes Center (RDC) against her in April 2026. The 'terrified' mum-of-one was arrested on April 22, 2026 and imprisoned for three weeks over the unpaid rent, where she claims she was 'treated like a criminal'. Kerry says her son helped secure her release on May 15, 2026 and set up a 15-month repayment plan, only to be 'shocked and heartbroken' when she claims it was reduced to 15 days. A British mum claims her dream new life in Dubai turned into a 'horror movie' when she was thrown into a hellhole jail Kerry, from Hexham, Northumberland, said: 'It's something I would've never imagined would have happened coming to Dubai' Her lawyer has warned her she faces 'indefinite' jail time until she's repaid the debt so has set up a GoFundMe page to help raise funds. Hoping to return to the UK soon, Kerry is now speaking out about her experience to highlight the 'dark side' of moving to Dubai. Kerry, from Hexham, Northumberland, said: 'It's something I would've never imagined would have happened coming to Dubai. 'The dream was to get settled, meet someone and set up a family unit. 'There's no jobs here, I know friends who are moving back because it's very hard to find a job. In the first two months I quickly found out the cost of living here is very dear. 'I got a job leading a marketing team in Dubai but I had to leave because of a toxic situation at work after the first year. 'They decided not to pay the salary and decided not to pay the expenses [owed]. 'I went to a UAE court and they took eight months just to get my salary, I didn't even get 40 per cent of what I was owed. 'I set up my own agency and that was okay for the first year. When it started going into the second year I started facing more and more problems with non-payment of invoices. 'There's so many cases I know of people struggling to get payment. 'By November 2025 I was owed so much money from my clients I started missing a lot of rent payments and it quickly piled up as Dubai rents are expensive.' Kerry said she tried to exit her rental contract in November 2025 and after the court case had hoped to set up an instalment plan to help her clear the debt. But before she was able to, she claims she was arrested while in a shopping mall and jailed for a month. Kerry said: 'I was stopped by a young lad [at the mall] and he flashed an ID badge, which I could see said 'police' on it. In that moment I just thought 'okay, I give up'. 'You can't run anywhere, I knew I had a travel ban and everything. I was terrified but I was trying not to be emotional. It feels like I'm in a horror movie. 'I tried pleading and they didn't listen once. I just knew 'I don't know where my life is going to go from here but if I walk through those doors it'll be very difficult to come back out'. 'The policeman took me into the back of the police station and handed me to these lady security guards. They stripped me. I had to squat and they strip searched to make sure I didn't have anything. 'Some of the women prisoners just greeted me and showed me around. From there I was in shock. I was sat on some dirty mattress with women. I was freezing cold. 'By midnight it was freezing. I managed to get one of the girls to share a mattress and blanket to put my head down. I was wearing a suit because I'd come from the court. I looked odd and out of place. 'There were so many women I met in there. It took me quite a few days to get hold of my son and my son started calling people. 'He managed to get access to my court login. He logged in and changed the email and started applying to the judge. 'I was transferred to Central jail after the first 10 days. It was ten times worse. It was a horrible place. The police station is much more comfortable. 'You have to wear a uniform all the time and cover your hair. There's fighting every second, and you're jumpy. Everyone's attacking everyone. It was horrible.' After being released from prison, she claims she paid a £3,000 instalment before being told she only had 15 days to pay the outstanding £19,000 debt and is now under house arrest. 'I don't feel like a criminal but I'm being treated like a criminal, I had such a good career in the UK and UAE. 'I've always done everything to live in a respectful way towards the law. I didn't deliberately go out to end up in a situation, it happens. 'To criminalise people for something like that, especially rent, is just heartbreaking and the justice system makes it impossible to fix the situation. 'The appeal or requests we kept sending for some reason the judge listened to and released me after three or four weeks. 'My son kept saying to me 'don't worry'. I said "no, I'm paranoid, I don't trust the system".' 'That fear came to fruition because within three weeks, before the next instalment was due, I got a notification on my phone saying there's a new judgement on my case. I got another warrant out. 'I was shocked and heartbroken. I should be inside right now. 'There's no listening or pleading or explaining your situation. Now if I go inside if they find me and put me inside, it's indefinite. Kerry hopes the GoFundMe page will help her to pay for the outstanding £19,000 she owes 'I asked my lawyer what happens if I don't pay. He said 'you're just in there until you pay, they'll never let you go especially with money cases'. 'There's no room for movement or hardworking people. 'I'm on my last pennies. I've raised a bit from GoFundMe and I'm paying a little bit here and there and buying food but that's it. 'I'm not going anywhere because I'm under house arrest so I haven't got many costs.' Kerry hopes the GoFundMe page will help her to pay for the outstanding £19,000 she owes. Kerry said: 'It [Dubai] is painted as a dream life but there's a dark side to it. 'When you cross that line even without knowing it you're treated so quickly like you committed a huge detriment to the place. 'I have been backed into such a corner. I just want to peacefully get out of here and not look back. 'You can easily come here thinking it's an incredible place but the legal protections you take for granted in the UK simply do not exist. 'A simple civil dispute can end up to an indefinite jail sentence, which should open people's eyes. 'I'm ready for jail. When you're in a situation where you've already been inside and you're not given the option to work or reasonably pay it off in time, there's nothing I can do.' You can donate to Kerry's fundraiser here.