British grandfather jailed in Dubai says he has witnessed suicides and rape by ...

British grandfather jailed in Dubai says he has witnessed suicides and rape by ...
British grandfather jailed in Dubai says he has witnessed suicides and rape by ...

A 60-year-old British man detained in Dubai Central Prison over his son's business debts has described being tortured and witnessing the horrific treatment of other prisoners, some of who were raped.

He also described seeing other incarcerated people take their own lives in front of him.  

Albert Douglas, originally from London, has fought a £1m legal battle to prove he was not liable for money owed by his son Wolfgang's business. 

Albert Douglas and his wife Naomi emigrated to Dubai in 2003 and he built up a successful business called Alomni Flooring, specialising in real wood floors

Albert Douglas and his wife Naomi emigrated to Dubai in 2003 and he built up a successful business called Alomni Flooring, specialising in real wood floors 

In a tape heard by MailOnline, Mr Douglas said: 'Since I've been in prison in UAE I've been beaten and tortured by the police for asking for my heart medicine.

'My left shoulder's dislocated, I've three bones broken in my right arm and I've got permanent head and back injuries.

'I'd spent two days traveling through the desert in the back of a van.

'I've been forced to drink from a communal toilet basin. For five months I've been deprived of my heart medicine and any medical treatment for injuries.'

Mr Douglas also spoke of witnessing the systematic abuse of 'African and Asian people simply because of the colour of their skin' in the prison.

The once prosperous man who once lived in luxurious villa on the Palm Jumeriah Island and drove a Rolls Royce, says his only 'crime' had been to be listed on legal documents of the flooring company his son had set up in 2007.

Mr Douglas with his son Wolfgang (left) and his two grandkids.  He was arrested in September 2019, after a court found him liable for his son's debts and imposed a three-year sentence

Mr Douglas with his son Wolfgang (left) and his two grandkids.  He was arrested in September 2019, after a court found him liable for his son's debts and imposed a three-year sentence

Under Dubai law anyone linked to a company that owes money can be found liable for their debts - and family members are often pursued for payments. 

In the tape he said he was detained earlier this year because authorities appear to think he signed a cheque to Abu Dhabi Finance, which Mr Douglas says he didn't write and claims forensic investigators have already proven the signature to not be his.

Because his son Wolfgang, 34, was back in Britain when the company got into trouble, creditors took Mr Douglas to court and won a judgement against him instead. 

He was arrested in September 2019. A court found him liable for his son's debts and imposed a three-year sentence. Mr Douglas was also ordered to pay £2.5m in fines.  

He was sentence to two years but will is now set to face another three years in the prison.  

He said: 'Several hours of interrogation, police trying to force me to confess to signing a cheque to Abu Dhabi Finance.

'It's all in Arabic, I've no idea what's going on and this is despite their own forensic experts verifying it wasn't my signature so they known it wasn't me.

'I was told by the public prosecution to just say I signed the cheque, otherwise they said I'll stay there for a very long time, which I did.'

When Mr Douglas was finally granted surgery to his left shoulder, which took nine months to get, he said he was 'forced to do what's called a promotional video' while surrounded by police.

Mr Douglas with his grandchild. A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesperson said it has raised his case with authorities in the country and are in contact with his family in the UK

Mr Douglas with his grandchild. A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesperson said it has raised his case with authorities

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