Brit tourist, 39, died of ‘neglect’ in Dubai cell after he was starved & beaten in solitary confinement by cruel guards
A BRIT tourist died of "neglect" in a Dubai police station after being "starved and beaten" by cruel guards, an inquest has ruled.
Lee Brown, 39, died at Bur Dubai police station after travelling to the Gulf while on his way to visit his girlfriend in Indonesia.
He passed away after enduring five torturous days holed up in solitary confinement without adequate food or water.
The beaten and bruised Brit was not granted access to necessary medical care and was even left without appropriate clothing.
Amid their eight-year fight for justice following Mr Brown's death on April 12, 2011, his family accused the Foreign Office of putting diplomatic relations above his welfare.
The builder, painter and decorator from Dagenham, London, arrived in Dubai on April 6, 2011, the inquest heard.
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He was due to then move on to Indonesia where he was set to visit his girlfriend.
But Mr Brown was taken into custody after allegedly assaulting a barmaid at the Burj Al Arab Hotel, where he was staying.
The 39-year-old said the woman had entered his room without permission before 20 people surrounded him.
They then bundled him to the police station in his underwear, Walthamstow Coroner's Court heard.
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The hearing was told Mr Brown may have been suffering from a mental health episode when he arrived at the prison.
His family say this is the only credible explanation for his alleged behaviour at the Burj Al Arab Hotel.
Recording a narrative conclusion of neglect, the jury forewoman for the inquest said: "The factors that probably contributed to his death are as follows.
"Bruises from other detainees, guards and police officers, a lack of adequate food or water, a lack of habitable living conditions and a lack of access to necessary medical care while at the police station.
"Factors that possibly contributed to his death are a lack of access to services and adequate clothing.
"The neglect was by the authorities at Bur Dubai police station."
JUSTICE FOR LEE
Jurors recorded his medical cause of death as unanswered.
Nadia Persaud, Area Coroner for East London, will write a prevention of future deaths report to the Foreign Office raising "concerns" regarding the issues raised during the inquest.
This includes the potential lack of emergency access to Brit nationals when they are detained or experiencing a mental health episode.
Warnings about the risk of detention and conditions of detention in Dubai and a potential lack of clarity in the process will also be submitted.
The coroner said: "I would like to thank the family for their assistance over the last eight years certainly to me.
"It has been an absolute privilege to work with Doris Brown and Lee’s siblings who remained wholly dignified in the face of a lack of a response to the number of requests we made for some of the evidence which was never recovered.
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"I hope this inquest has answered some of the questions the family had and gone some way to finding justice for Lee."
Mr Brown's mother, Doris, said she will remember her "hardworking" son as a "happy and family-orientated person".