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'Living a nightmare': Fears for flight attendant jailed during bad date

A flight attendant is being held in a Dubai prison after her date was allegedly found to have drugs in his apartment.

Derrin Crawford, 23, originally hails from the UK, but was living in the United Arab Emirates – her “dream come true”.

She was on a first date with a man when police raided his apartment and allegedly found two cannabis joints.

Ms Crawford works for Emirates Airlines and has been in custody since June 21, after meeting her date for the first time, The Sun reported.

Radha Stirling, chief executive of organisation Detained in Dubai, which helps jailed foreigners, tweeted she had fallen ill while behind bars and her family fear she will die in jail.

Derrin Crawford has been detained in Dubai, after her date was found to have marijuana in his home. Source:  Facebook
Derrin Crawford has been detained in Dubai, after her date was found to have marijuana in his home. Source: Facebook

A petition has also been launched to lobby politicians to campaign for her release, and alleges the imprisonment is “an example of the extreme case of sexism and discrimination in the United Arab Emirates”.

“Derrin has had a difficult life after losing her mum at age 11 and soon after her Aunty who was her secondary caregiver,” the online petition says.

“Moving to Dubai was a dream come true to her, now it is a nightmare.

“She is young, innocent and living a nightmare.”

Ms Crawford was originally taken to the police station where she remained for several days before she was transferred to Al Barsha jail in Dubai, despite returning a negative result on a drug test.

"From what I can gather a test was undertaken for drugs which proved negative, so she is being detained with what appears to be no case to answer," Liverpool Riverside MP Kim Johnson told the BBC

According to the BBC, Ms Crawford has not been able to contact her family since last Sunday and she has been living off bread, jam and water since being detained.

Ms Johnson said Ms Crawford was being treated “appallingly” and said the 23-year-old’s family was worried about her due to a medical condition.

According to the Liverpool Echo, Ms Crawford developed septic tonsillitis last weekend and earlier this week and needed “urgent medical assistance”.

Stirling said there was “absolutely no reason” for Ms Crawford to be in jail, adding she had cooperated with police and passed the drug test.

Detained in Dubai is working to help Ms Crawford and her family.

“Family VERY worried for her life,” Stirling tweeted on July 7.

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