Scots expat trapped in Dubai homelessness hell after being terrorised by debt collectors who threatened he would be raped in jail
A SCOTS expat is trapped in a homeless hell in Dubai after debt collectors threatened him with rape and jail.
Desperate Jonathan Castle, 59, made the move to the thriving UAE capital in 2002 – lured by high wages and glamorous living – and until 2010 was a successful copywriter at a top ad agency.
Jonathan with his wife SusanJonathan’s nightmare began when he accepted a number of credit cards from Emirates Bank and got caught up in the “Dubai lifestyle”.
Jonathan – who was born in London but raised in Thurso, near Caithness – fell behind with payments and the unpleasant side of the Dubai loan business began to invade his life.
Debt collectors and heavies began to bombard him with calls, turned up at his work and even told his wife to become a prostitute to help pay up.
The Scot cut back on his lifestyle; rarely eating out, sold his car and moved to a cheaper part of the city.
DubaiBut was not enough for him to meet his payments and in Dubai, unlike in most countries, debt is a criminal offence punishable by substantial jail time.
He is now living on pals’ sofas and getting by with handouts after being terrorised and threatened by heavies chasing him for debt.
He revealed one collector hurled abuse at him, saying: “You filthy defaulter. this my country. Give me my money and go home to your country.”
The destitute expat added: “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.”
We told last year how Scots tourist Jamie Harron, who was nicked for touching a man’s hip in a Dubai bar, had his dropped – just 24 hours after he was jailed for three months.
Harron, 27, was said to be “distraught” at being caged for brushing against Emad Tabaza as he tried to avoid spilling a drink.
Jonathan’s wife Susan went on: “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.”
He went on: “It’s a catch 22. Emirates NBD bank has a police case filed against me for missing credit card payments.
“But the fact I have a police case against me means I can’t get another visa, so I am not allowed to work, so I have no hope to earn money to meet the payments.”
The police case comes with a travel ban, meaning it is forbidden for him to leave the country until the debt is paid.
He said: “The sentence for debtors is three years. But you don’t get to go home after the three years.
“You get 30 days of freedom to arrange to pay the debt, or you go back inside indefinitely, until somehow the debt is paid.
“While most of my friends are enjoying their retirement, I am 59, and living the life of a penniless student.
“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"
Radha Stirling, CEO of UKbased NGO Detained in Dubai, said: “UAE banking laws are in desperate need of modernisation.
“The fact that the bank knows the debtor cannot pay from inside jail and yet will keep him there indefinitely until a relative bails them out means that the bank is effectively taking the debtor hostage.
“The fact that a debtor can noget a new job because of the police case is also an obvious legal strategy to force them into jail. Such punitive measures clearly do not facilitate debt recovery.”
https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/2064044/jonathan-castle-scots-expat-dubai-homeless-debt/