A British father arrested in Dubai for carrying a fake Scottish £20 note while on holiday with his wife and two children will be freed tonight, it has emerged.
Bill Barclay, from Fernieside, Edinburgh, was detained in front of his two children after handing over what turned out to be a counterfeit Scottish note at a bureau de change.
The plasterer had been facing up to a year in prison in Dubai, but lawyers say authorities have promised his passport will be returned to him tonight.
Bill Barclay was detained in front of his two children after handing over what turned out to be a counterfeit Scottish note at a bureau de change
Mr Barclay’s partner Monique Fleming (pictured) said yesterday the plasterer was held for 12 hours in a prison cell while detectives searched his hotel room and family possessions
Mr Barclay’s partner Monique Fleming, 42, had revealed yesterday that the plasterer was held for 12 hours in a prison cell while detectives searched his hotel room and family possessions.
He was then released without charge when they failed to find any more counterfeit cash.
The family believe the fake note must have been handed to them in change in Scotland before their flight in October last year.
Relieved that their ordeal was over and believing the arrest had been a mix-up, Mr Barclay, 31, returned to Dubai for another holiday last month.
But as the family travelled through customs, police were waiting to speak to him over the same allegation from the previous year.
He was handcuffed, detained for three days and has been stranded in the country for the past two weeks because his passport was confiscated.
Miss Fleming returned home with their children Billy junior, seven, and nine-year-old Madison.
She was determined to clear her partner’s name and lawyers have now had a breakthrough in the case and his passport is due to be returned to Mr Barclay tonight.
Radha Stirling, from Detained and Dubai an aid organisation representing Mr Barclay, said today: ‘The Ras Al Khaima tourism development authority telephoned me today to advise that they had arranged for Mr Barclay’s passport to be returned at 20.30 local time this evening.’
Miss Fleming, from Fernieside, Edinburgh, returned home with their children Billy junior, seven, (left) and nine-year-old Madison (right)
She said Mr Barclay had been told authorities would escort him to the airport and that he would he ‘reunited with his family as soon as possible’.
Ms Stirling added: ‘I have spoken with Billy and his family who are over the moon, relieved and excited that their ordeal has almost come to an end. They can breathe again.
‘I am impressed with the swift response of the government, once the case was published. At the same time, the UK government had advised against going public with this case.
‘Without international support and publicity, Mr Barclay could have been detained for months, if not years, which has been the case with other British Nationals.
‘We look forward to Billy’s return to Scotland and appreciate Mr Ian Murray, MP’s involvement with the family and the UK Embassy in UAE.’
Miss Fleming has earlier revealed that she had ‘no idea what is going to happen’.
An aid organisation which is representing the family, said the incident happened at a money exchange centre in the Al Hamra Mall in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah
‘The children are extremely stressed and should never have had to endure this nightmare when all we wanted was a happy family holiday.
‘We are in shock and just hope they let him come home quickly. Our stress levels are sky-high. We knew it was a mix-up. Either someone had given the note to Billy as change, or maybe the detector machine was faulty.
‘There was certainly no intent from us to steal £20, but until you are released, you can’t help but be frightened.’
Detained in Dubai said the incident happened at a money exchange centre in the Al Hamra Mall in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah.
Speaking from Dubai before he was freed to return, Mr Barclay said: ‘It was distressing for the kids to see their dad arrested. Myself and Monique reassured them, we knew the police would see that it was a mistake.’
After being released, Mr Barclay said he was assured by police that he could return to the United Arab Emirates. He added: ‘They told me they wouldn’t have released me unless I was cleared.
But at Dubai International Airport on September 15, the family were stopped by police who took Mr Barclay away.
He said: ‘I was in the computer as still wanted for passing fake money. I was held in shackles for three days in a cell.’
Carrying counterfeit money in Dubai carries a maximum sentence of a year in jail or a £1,000 fine.