Dubai business collapse leaves British grandfather facing jail and unable to leave
A 64-year-old British grandfather is stranded in Dubai after his aviation business collapsed, facing potential jail time and unable to return home. Simon Ferguson's predicament highlights the precarious situation of expats in the UAE when financial difficulties intersect with visa regulations and passport seizure.
Ferguson is trapped by mounting debts and visa overstay fines after his business, Aviation Assets Middle East, failed to generate sufficient income. His passport was seized in court proceedings related to company debts, preventing him from obtaining a new visa and, consequently, legally working or leaving the UAE. He currently sleeps on a sofa in a shared flat with six women and 33 rescue cats, relying on borrowed money and food packages from family members to survive. Facing this dire situation, he is considering surrendering to immigration officials in hopes of deportation back to Britain, though he fears imprisonment instead.
- 64-year-old British grandfather stranded in Dubai after aviation business collapsed
- Living on sofa with 33 cats, passport seized, unable to work or leave UAE
- Considering surrendering to immigration as last option to escape situation
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A 64-year-old British businessman has become trapped in Dubai after his aviation business failed. Simon Ferguson is unable to leave the country or return home, creating a desperate situation that reveals the challenges some expats face in the United Arab Emirates.
Ferguson's dilemma centres on UAE regulations governing business failures and visas. When his company, Aviation Assets Middle East, did not generate enough income, he accumulated debts and fell behind on visa-related payments. His passport was seized during court proceedings over company debts, making it impossible for him to obtain a new visa or legally leave the country.
The situation highlights a wider issue for foreign workers in the UAE, where financial failure can trap individuals in a legal bind. Without valid visa status or their passport, expats may face charges of overstaying and have limited options for departure, even when they wish to leave.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The UAE's debt and visa regulations can trap expats in disproportionately harsh circumstances when businesses fail through misfortune. Ferguson faces potential imprisonment and destitution despite no evidence of fraud, his passport seized and no lawful means of departure. Such extreme penalties for business failure warrant consideration of international pressure for legal reform to ensure fairer treatment of honest debtors.
The case against
Ferguson entered the UAE aware of its legal framework and the financial risks involved. When his business failed, he incurred obligations to creditors entitled to legal recourse. The rules exist to ensure accountability and protect those owed money; setting aside their enforcement would undermine the legal consistency that all parties depend upon and would unfairly advantage his circumstances over the legitimate claims of his creditors.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “British grandfather pleads for help and says he is having ‘dark thoughts’ as he faces jail in Dubai after his UAE business collapsed”.