A 75-year-old British grandfather is currently facing the possibility of imprisonment in Dubai, accused of trespassing when he requested his neighbors to lower the volume during a New Year’s Eve party. Ian MacKeller had traveled to the UAE to visit his daughter, who had recently moved there, and was babysitting her young child. 
The incident unfolded when MacKeller’s daughter, anticipating an early work shift for the next day, asked her neighbors to be mindful of the noise. Despite a polite request to turn down the music at 1 am, the noise reportedly increased. Seeking a peaceful resolution, MacKeller approached the neighbor’s house, carrying his granddaughter to allow his daughter some rest.
After receiving no response at the front door, MacKeller noticed an open side path leading to the garden where the party was taking place. Upon politely asking the guests to move indoors, he claims they became aggressive, pushing him and shouting. In the commotion, his granddaughter’s bottle was knocked to the ground. Despite some partygoers attempting to intervene and advise MacKeller to leave, the situation escalated.
As MacKeller made his way to the street, the host allegedly confronted him, shouting loudly and even throwing her drink over him and the baby. Despite MacKeller’s desire to report the incident to the police, his daughter hesitated, fearing tension with neighbors.
Subsequently, the party host filed a police complaint against MacKeller for trespassing, preventing him from leaving the country. This could lead to several years of imprisonment. Originally scheduled to return to Scotland on January 10, MacKeller now remains indefinitely separated from his family in the UAE, unable to receive medical treatment.
Detained in Dubai CEO Radha Stirling, working with MP Andrew Bowie, expressed concern over the situation, highlighting the unexpected consequences of a simple request for quiet. Stirling criticized the alleged manipulation of the legal system in Dubai, where preemptive police reports are filed to gain an advantage in potential disputes. She called for legislative changes to address this abuse of the criminal justice system and urged authorities to take action against such practices.
Stirling revealed that it is common for individuals in MacKeller’s situation to offer financial compensation to accusers to drop the case. She emphasized the need for parliamentary representatives to support constituents facing injustice abroad and called for increased scrutiny on such practices in countries like the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.