FEATURE
MOTHER ’ S ANGUISH
AS SON JAILED FOR 25 YEARS IN DUBAI
A British football coach was convicted of multiple drugs offences after police found CBD vape liquid in his car .
Words : Patrick Griffin
Picture shows Billy Hood . Picture : Detained in Dubai .
An anguished mother cries herself to sleep at night after her son was sentenced to 25 years in a Dubai prison . Teaching assistant Breda Hood was beside herself with worry after son Billy was convicted of serious drug charges for having four small bottles of CBD vape liquid and a vape pen in his car . The 24-year-old London-born football coach – who now lives in Dubai – was arrested in January and has been behind bars ever since . Billy was dumbfounded when police found the CBD vapes in his car , insisting they were not his . He said they must have been left behind by a friend from the UK who he had given a lift to the airport to catch a flight home . Following the arrest , Breda said : “ Billy has never been into drugs ever … it ’ s impossible that he ’ s guilty . “ My son doesn ’ t deserve to lose his whole life over CBD oil that wasn ’ t even his .” She added : “ I have hidden myself away , crying and crying when I imagine what our sweet boy is going through … it ’ s the worst stress I ’ ve ever been through and I feel helpless .” After four days at CID headquarters - the former semi-pro footballer reluctantly signed a confession written in Arabic . Requests to see an English translation were refused . Billy said : “ The next evening , I was taken to Al Barsha police station and kept in an isolation cell for 14 days without any hygiene products … I had no contact with the outside world .” He then spent nine months in custody awaiting trial where he was found guilty of possession , trafficking and selling the CBD oil . The Hood family , including brother Alexander , are still coming to terms with the fact that Billy could be behind bars until he ’ s 50 . Alexander said : “ Billy is a healthy , fitness-focussed guy … mum never had to worry about him getting into drugs or smoking . “ We never thought for a moment that going to Dubai could be a oneway ticket for him .” Billy told lawyers that he had a ‘ zero-tolerance attitude ’ towards drugs and said : “ One of the main reasons I moved to the UAE was to pursue my coaching career . “ I have spent six years collecting my coaching badges and would
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