Marcus Fakana, 19, Dies in Car Crash After Prison Release, Where He Was Detained for Teen Romance

A teenager, who was imprisoned in Dubai for having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl during a vacation, has died — just three months after receiving a royal pardon.

Marcus Fakana, 19, died shortly after being taken to the hospital with “significant injuries” following a car crash in North London, England, on Friday, Oct. 3, according to The Guardian, The Standard and The Independent.

The crash occurred shortly before 1 a.m. local time, when police on patrol attempted to stop a “vehicle of interest,” the Metropolitan Police said in a news release. Authorities temporarily lost sight of the vehicle amid their pursuit, but after driving onto The Roundway, Tottenham, they discovered the car had been involved in a “road traffic collision with another vehicle.”

Police officers provided first aid to those injured as they awaited the London Ambulance Service and London’s air ambulance, per the news release. 

Fakana was taken to the hospital, where, “despite the best efforts of emergency services and medical staff, he died a short time later,” the Metropolitan Police said.

“His next of kin have been informed,” authorities added.

The incident took place a year after the teenager was arrested and sentenced to one year in a maximum-security prison for having consensual sex with a 17-year-old girl, who was staying at the same luxury hotel in Dubai as he and his family, per the BBC.

Fakana, then 18 years old, was allegedly reported to U.A.E. authorities by the girl’s mother, after she saw messages between the pair, once her daughter returned to the U.K., according to the outlet.

The girl, who was one month away from turning 18, would’ve also been arrested if she were in the Emirates at the time. There is no age of consent in Dubai, but all sex outside of marriage is illegal.

Fakana’s jailing was a high-profile case, as both teens were above the U.K.’s legal age of consent at the time of their romance. He received a royal pardon from Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, in July. 

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Radha Stirling, chief executive of the campaign group Detained in Dubai, was “heartbroken” by the news of his death, The Times reported.

“Marcus spent the majority of this year in a Dubai prison, which no doubt caused him long-lasting mental anguish,” Stirling said, per the outlet. “It’s sad that of all of 2025, he was only free for the three months from July 3 until October 3.”

According to the Metropolitan Police, Fakana was a passenger in the vehicle they pursued, while the driver, also 19, was arrested after the collision for failing to stop and for dangerous driving.

He is currently in custody and no other injuries have been reported. 

The Metropolitan Police did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Saturday, Oct. 4.