Scot facing Middle East jail over fake banknote

William Barclay was stopped at Dubai International Airport in September after an incident in 2016 when he presenting one counterfeit £20 note as he tried to exchange money at the Al Hamra Mall in Ras Al Khaimah.

He was accused of being in possession of counterfeit cash and questioned by detectives for 12 hours before being told no charges would be brought.

On his recent return to the country last month with his wife Monique and two children, Mr Barclay was stopped at Dubai International Airport in connection with the 2016 incident.

He was questioned by police for three days then released on bail, but his passport has been confiscated and he must remain in the country.

He is currently staying in a £120-a-night hotel awaiting the outcome of the case against him.

The Foreign Office said it was providing assistance.

Mr Barclay was quizzed by detectives for 12 hours after his initial arrest in 2016.

He was accused of being in possession of counterfeit cash but then told no charges would be brought and was allowed to continue his family holiday.

Mr Barclay could face up to a year in jail in the UAE, a £1,000 fine and deportation back to the UK.

His family have returned to their home in Edinburgh without him.

Radha Stirling, chief executive of British non-governmental organisation Detained In Dubai, which is representing the family said: “Clearly in this case, Mr Barclay received a counterfeit note that was already in circulation and is himself a victim.

“Charging him over a fake note he received and passed unknowingly is not an effective way to deal with the problem of counterfeiting and it once again highlights the risks visitors to the UAE face from the country’s legal system.

“He was detained for three days, moved from one facility to another in shackles, and though he is now out on bail, his passport has been confiscated and he is stuck in the UAE indefinitely.

“We hope that the charges will ultimately be dropped, but in the meantime, Mr Barclay is in a very difficult situation.”

A spokeswoman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: “We are providing assistance to the family of a British man who was arrested in UAE in September.”