A British man, Simon Ferguson, 64, is currently in Dubai after his business collapsed, leading him to plead for assistance as he faces potential jail time and is unable to return to the UK. Ferguson, originally from Mancot in North Wales, has expressed that he is experiencing significant distress and is considering turning himself in to immigration officials in hopes of being deported back to Britain, although he fears imprisonment may be the outcome.
Ferguson has accumulated debts and visa overstay fines, which have left him in a precarious situation in the UAE. He is currently residing on a sofa in a flat shared with six women and 33 rescue cats. To manage daily expenses, he is borrowing money for groceries and relies on food packages from his ex-wife and former girlfriend.
He mentioned that if two business opportunities he is pursuing do not materialize soon, he plans to approach immigration officials to seek deportation. "I don't want to do that, but if it's the only way out, I can't sit here in this environment, living the way I'm living, having to beg money off people," he stated. Ferguson has discussed this potential action with his children and views it as a possible route home.
While he is not soliciting financial aid directly, he hopes that sharing his story will draw public attention to his situation, which he believes could help mitigate any lengthy detention if he hands himself in and is deported. "I feel I'm at a point where something drastic has to happen to make this work," he said, expressing the emotional toll the situation has taken on him.
Ferguson has lived in the UAE for approximately 20 years, previously working with Emirates Airlines before founding Aviation Assets Middle East, a company focused on assisting airlines with aircraft transactions. However, health issues have hindered his ability to work, depleting his savings and leading to the seizure of his passport due to court proceedings related to business debts. Without his passport, he cannot secure a new visa, which prevents him from obtaining a UAE identity card, opening a bank account, or legally working.
Initially, a GoFundMe campaign provided some relief, but complications arose when his daughter's bank account was closed, restricting access to £300 of the funds raised. Ferguson had previously been offered accommodation through friends but had to relocate after three months. He now shares a three-bedroom apartment with six women and numerous cats, which he describes as a challenging living situation.
Despite the difficulties, he remains thankful for the support he has received. He is actively seeking remote work opportunities through his aviation contacts, focusing on brokering aircraft and components, but has faced challenges in achieving the necessary results over the past six to seven months. If his current business prospects do not succeed, he plans to visit the airport to turn himself in to immigration services. His children continue to support him emotionally, although visits have been infrequent due to travel restrictions.