A British expat claimed his life was ‘destroyed’ after he was hounded and threatened by debt collectors and left homeless in Dubai.
Jonathan Castle moved to the United Arab Emirates in 2002 before becoming overwhelmed with more than £500,000 of credit card debt.
The expat, who was born in London but raised in Thurso, Caithness, now has a police case against him which comes with a travel ban, meaning he can’t leave the country until his debt is paid.
Jonathan Castle (pictured) said his life has been ‘destroyed’ by debt collectors after he fell into £500,000 of credit card debt in Dubai
This also stops him from obtaining a work visa and he now has no way of earning the cash to pay his debt.
Mr Castle said: ‘I am in a hopeless state of disbelief – why can’t I leave?
‘I will never be able to pay if I am never allowed to leave or to work.
‘I am 60-years-old with failing health. They just keep adding it on with fees and charges.
‘They want me to die here.’
Until 2010 Jonathan was a copywriter in an upscale UAE advertising agency.
But soon after moving he was inundated with phone calls from banks offering him loans.
He decided to accept some credit cards from the Emirates NBD Bank, and quickly began to fall behind with payments.
His original £20,240 debt was soon inflated to an unpayable £569,000.
The expat immediately scaled back his lifestyle in order to pay the debt. He sold his car, moved to a cheaper part of the city and even stopped eating as often.
But this was not enough for him to meet his payments and in Dubai debt is a criminal offence punishable by substantial jail time.
Mr Castle’s nightmare worsened when debt collectors began to call him on the phone.
Mr Castle (pictured with wife Susan) accepted some credit cards from the Emirates NBD Bank, and quickly began to fall behind with payments
The expat said the debt collectors soon became more aggressive, visiting him at work and even threatening his colleages and friends
But despite his pleas to restructure his loan, they refused, becoming more angry and aggressive.
He even claims one said: ‘You filthy defaulter, this my country. Give me my money and go home to your country.’
Mr Castle said: ‘The stress was horrendous.
‘They cursed, insulted me and constantly threatened me with jail, explicitly frightening me with how I would be raped and beaten during my sentence, which would be for years, not months.’
The expat’s marriage is also under strain as his wife Susan had to leave the UAE to return to their family home in the Highlands.
His 88-year-old mother has been described as ‘sick with worry’ while his father passed away during his time trapped in Dubai.
Wife Susan said: ‘They were aggressive and insulting with me too, shouting down the phone that if I really cared for my husband I would be ‘standing with the prostitutes down at Bur Dubai’ to help him.
‘I am in total despair of ever seeing him again. Since the UAE made all VOIP services illegal we have only been able to communicate by text and the occasional phone call.
‘The UAE seems to think it’s perfectly acceptable to imprison someone for the rest of their lives and make it impossible for them to even try to fix the problem.
‘Without a visa he can’t work, have a bank account, driving license or even have a phone.
‘We missed our 25th wedding anniversary, Jonathan’s 60th and countless other family milestones.’
Mr Castle’s health is suffering and he is unable to afford a doctor – despite the fact he is need of medication for high blood pressure.
He said: ‘The nurses at Rashid Hospital were kind enough to treat me for my health issues even though I have no insurance or money to cover.
‘If it wasn’t for them I would be in a very bad way and maybe not here at all.’
Mr Castle continued paying what he could and trying to restructure. But the debt collectors started calling and emailing his friends and colleagues, telling them he was a criminal and insulting them for associating with him.
Before long they began going to Mr Castle’s workplace and harassing him, his co-workers and even clients.
The expat now lives on handouts and sleeps on friends’ sofas.
He said: ‘Sooner or later I will outstay my generous friends’ goodwill.
Mr Castle (pictured right with friends) now relies on handouts from his friends and sleeps on sofas
‘I do a week here, and a week there, staying with different people in rotation, but time is running out.
‘My friends are gradually moving from Dubai and when that happens I’ll be on the street like so many others.
‘What new friend would want a 60-year-old man to live on their couch?
‘I just pray that one day I can escape this city, finally visit my father’s grave and live out my remaining years with my wife.
‘I miss my wife, Susan, every day. The UAE has destroyed my life and will never let me go.
‘My last few years will be spent penniless, with failing health, in a country that hates me.
‘The official attitude seems to be “you got into debt so you are despicable and deserve everything coming to you”.’
Radha Stirling, CEO of the UK-based non-governmental organisation Detained in Dubai, said: ‘Jonathan is still stuck there, his situation getting more desperate as time goes on.
‘Cases of foreigners being detained in the UAE are common and I don’t think people are aware of this terrible situation that the outdated laws create.
‘People like Jonathan should be allowed to return home to work so they can repay their debts.
‘What is the point in forcing them to stay in the country when they are not able to work?’