The family of an 18-year-old Brit who is facing up to 20 years in a UAE prison over a holiday romance have warned that his mental health is ‘declining’ as they say they are all stuck in a ‘nightmare’.

Marcus Fakana, of Tottenham, was held in Dubai’s ‘notorious’ Al Barsha Police Station for days after the ‘strict’ mother of a 17-year-old girl he had 𝓈ℯ𝓍 with on holiday this summer reported him to Dubai authorities.

The couple, who had met while staying at the same hotel with their families, ‘had a wonderful time together’, with the girl – also a Brit – meeting up in secret as she feared she could not tell her mother she was seeing a boy.

But in a devastating turn of events, Marcus – who had been on a family holiday celebrating his father’s 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡day – could face two decades inside a gruelling UAE prison after the girl’s furious mother found out about the fling and informed police in Dubai upon returning back to the UK.

While the relationship would have been legal in the UK, under Dubai law a 17-year-old is defined as a 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥. The girl has since turned 18.

Setting up a GoFundMe page to raise money for legal fees to bring him home, Marcus’ family said: ‘What was meant to be a happy time has turned into a nightmare for him, our family, and our friends.

‘This has happened as a result of someone trying to misuse UAE law against him.

‘He is only 18 years old, very scared, and his mental health is starting to decline.’

Dubai has only recently reformed its laws on 𝓈ℯ𝓍 outside of marriage for tourists, but upholds a strict Islamic legal system, and has no firm ruling on age of consent.

But under local law, a 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 is defined as a person under 18 years of age. The girl was just months away from turning 18 when the pair met in August.

Marcus had still been on holiday with his family when police suddenly turned up at the hotel and detained him for three days at Al Barsha Police Station.

He is still in Dubai as he fights the case, and the family are hoping to raise £20,000 to help towards legal fees, accommodation and travel costs to come back to the UK.

The lawyer’s fees alone could cost them up to £21,000.

In a previous GoFundMe page set up two months ago, the family alleged Marcus had been denied a translator and forced to sign a confession document he did not understand.

They said: ‘He has been wrongfully accused of a crime he did not commit, and is now caught in a legal battle in Dubai.

‘This is not just a misunderstanding, it is racial discrimination, with someone seeking to use the UAE law against him.

‘While detained he was denied access to a translator and forced to sign a confession document he didn’t understand. He is only 18 years old, terrified, and very scared.

‘His mental health is deteriorating rapidly.’

Speaking to British-based aid organisation Detained in Dubai, Marcus told of how the couple had planned to see each other when they got home.

Marcus said: ‘We had a wonderful time together. We really liked each other but she was secretive with her family because they were strict.

‘My parents knew about our relationship but she couldn’t tell hers. She had to meet me without telling them it was to see a boy.

‘When she left, I couldn’t wait to see her again when I got home. Then suddenly, police knocked on our hotel door.

‘They said they were taking me in for questioning but wouldn’t tell me why. I couldn’t imagine what for. I was frightened and my parents were terrified.’

The pair had tried to spend as much time as they could together while abroad, and hoped to get to know each other better when back in London.

The girl left Dubai first and they had arranged to meet up.

‘He [Marcus] was told his girlfriend’s mother had reported the relationship to authorities in Dubai after she had arrived back in London,’ said Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai and human rights advocate.

The organisation offers confidential legal help to people facing civil and criminal legal trouble in the UAE.

‘This is clearly a very strict mother to involve police in a private matter that is completely legal in the country where she lives and where the 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren have grown up,’ Ms Stirling warned.

‘Perhaps she wasn’t aware that she triggered the possibility of a young man of only 18 spending the next 20 years in prison.’

‘My mother is a cleaner and my dad works in a warehouse. They saved up for this one-off holiday and they have now used all of their savings,’ Marcus explained.

‘The police demanded 10,000 AED for bail which I’ve been told is not normal and the costs are mounting. I’m here all alone. I pray this nightmare will be over and I’ll be home for Christmas.’

Marcus and his family are now calling on the British Foreign Secretary to help him.

‘Dubai police have the power to drop the case against Marcus and let him come home,’ Ms Stirling said.

‘This is not something we want to do to young people and we ask David Lammy MP to convey this message to his counterparts in the UAE.’

The UAE has only recently implemented changes allowing tourists to have 𝓈ℯ𝓍 outside of marriage – as well as more lax regulations on alcohol and vaping.

A British couple were jailed for kissing in public in 2010, and ultimately deported for violating the country’s decency laws.

Despite changes to the law, Ms Stirling warns that parents will soon ‘be scared to take their older teenagers on vacation with them where they could end up losing their lives over behaviour that’s completely legal in their own countries’.

Dubai Public Prosecution said in a statement shared with MailOnline: ‘The case was initiated in response to a complaint filed by the mother of a 17-year-old British girl.

‘The girl, a tourist visiting Dubai, is not a resident of the UAE. Under UAE law, the girl is legally classified as a minor, and in accordance with procedures recognised internationally, her mother -being the legal guardian- filed the complaint.

‘Dubai’s legal system is committed to protecting the rights of all individuals and ensuring impartial judicial proceedings. The next court hearing has been scheduled for 9 December at the request of the defendant’s legal counsel, contrary to what has been reported by some media.

‘The media should avoid speculation and allow the judiciary to carry out its responsibilities within its clear legal framework.’