A British teenager, recently released from a Dubai prison, has died in a car crash in north London just three months after regaining his freedom.
Marcus Fakana, 19, was a passenger in a vehicle that collided with a truck in Tottenham during the early hours of Friday. He was taken to hospital with serious injuries but later succumbed to them.
Police said officers had attempted to stop the car, but after a 60-second pursuit, they lost sight of it. The vehicle was later found crashed into a truck.
Fakana had been jailed in Dubai for a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl when he was 18 but received a royal pardon from Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in July, allowing him to return to the UK.
His lawyer, Radha Stirling, founder of the Detained in Dubai advocacy group, said Fakana was “grateful for the compassion shown to him by the British public” and that his ordeal had given him “a renewed focus on Christianity and prayer.” She added that he had been looking forward to building a positive future after regaining his freedom.
The relationship came to light when the girl’s mother discovered messages between them after returning to the UK and reported it to authorities. Stirling said Fakana’s time in prison had caused “long-lasting mental anguish,” noting he was free for only three months before his death.
Marwaan Mohamed Huseen, 19, of Argyle Road, Tottenham, has been charged over the fatal crash. He faces multiple charges, including causing death by dangerous driving, driving without insurance or a licence, and failing to stop. He is due to appear at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court.
The Metropolitan Police’s Directorate of Professional Standards and the Independent Office for Police Conduct have been informed of the incident.