Air stewardess who was held in Dubai for 'attempting suicide' after being 'beaten by her husband' is 'over the moon' after being freed to return home 'tonight or tomorrow'
- WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
An Irish air stewardess, who was detained in Dubai and charged with attempted suicide after suffering brutal domestic violence, is 'over the moon' to return home.
Tori Towey, 28, a flight attendant from County Roscommon, woke up in a police station in Dubai after she was attacked by her South African husband.
Police in the United Arab Emirates charged the young woman with alcohol abuse and attempted suicide which she was due to fight in court later this month.
Her passport was banned, preventing Ms Towey from returning home to her family in Ireland and sparking fears she was headed towards a jail term in an Emirati prison.
But a campaign group working on her case has confirmed that the charges have been withdrawn, the travel ban lifted and that Ms Towey is 'relieved' to be headed home.
Tori Towey has been left stranded in Dubai after being faced with an attempted suicide charge
Tori was pictured with extensive bruises over her body, which she says are from an assault
Detained in Dubai CEO Radha Stirling said: 'She is thrilled and relieved. She said she is over the moon and looking forward to getting home to Ireland and seeing the rest of her family.
'She is a little nervous too because there is that worry that something could happen before she gets on a plane but the overriding feeling is one of joy.'
Ms Towey's family has thanked the Irish government and campaigners for their help, with her mum Caroline telling MailOnline the support 'has been incredible'.
Caroline said: 'The support from the Irish government and the Irish people has been incredible and we weren't expecting it at all. It's a small country and the politicians are real people.
'We are both exhausted and desperate to get home. Thank you so much to everyone supporting us.'
She added that her daughter had been through 'the worst time of her life and needs to come home with me and heal'.
Tori's aunt Ann Flynn also told Sky News: 'She's doing her best. It's very stressful, stressful for all the family.
'Tori's a beautiful young woman, fun-loving, loves to travel. She got the job of her dreams working for Emirates, and she could continue travelling with work.'
'It's really terrible that this has happened to a young woman who was full of life and full of adventure.'
Mr Harris, a lawyer working on the case, said: 'The embassy will take Tori to the airport as soon as she is ready to go and that the embassy of course will continue to follow up on the case, which is still active as of now.'
He thanked the Irish embassy in the United Arab Emirates for their work on the case.
It comes hours after Tori's mother said she was 'desperate to get home' and has been through 'the worst time of her life'.
Tori, pictured left with aunt, has been banned from leaving the UAE and told she faces jail for drinking alcohol and attempting to take her own life
Tori had been banned from leaving the UAE and told she faced jail for drinking alcohol and attempting to take her own life following the alleged beating by her husband.
A spokesperson for legal group Detained in Dubai (DiD) claimed Tori's South African husband went after her with a knife and punched her, before slamming her arm in the bathroom door trying to break it.
Tori said she tried to take her own life after the attack, which left her with severe bruises and injuries.
But after being taken to a police station, Ms Towey was facing charges of alcohol consumption and attempting suicide by a court in Dubai.
She said she was unable to leave the country as her passport had been blocked.
Speaking through outreach group DiD, who are assisting the family, Ms Towey said prior to the lifting of the travel ban: 'I don't know what's going to happen in court next week.
'I'm desperate to go home to Ireland and put all of this in the past. I'm asking the Taoiseach to please help us.'
The DiD said Ms Towey had faced a lengthy prison sentence in a jail known for 'human rights abuses and torture'.
Radha Stirling, CEO of DiD, said: 'We are calling on Dubai authorities to urgently drop the charges against Tori, remove the travel ban and let her fly home to Ireland with her mother. She has been charged with attempted suicide and alcohol consumption.
'Strangely, the UAE has gone to great public relations efforts to promote alcohol as legal in the country. In reality, people are still regularly charged with alcohol consumption and possession. Tori's experience is nothing short of tragic and quite frankly, she is lucky to be alive.'
She explained: 'Tori arranged to fly home to Ireland but, when she arrived at the airport, was told a case against her by her husband had been dropped but the travel ban remained.
'She attended the police station who assured her the travel ban would be lifted but it never happened. The next day, Tori and her husband had some wine and he became enraged, accusing her of having an affair.'
Ms Stirling explained: 'The next thing she remembers is an ambulance crew and police waking her up. She was taken to Al Barsha police station and kept for several hours before going home again.
'Her mother pleaded to the Irish Consulate but in the absence of their assistance, boarded a flight to Dubai. When she arrived, she wasn't allowed to see Tori alone, her abuser wouldn't allow it.
'The three met at Emirates mall then attended the prosecutor's office to find out what charges had been registered against her.'
Ms Towey, who graduated from the Dublin Institute Of Technology, moved to the UAE in April 2023
Tori is pictured in 2021, before her move to the UAE - where she now hopes to return to Ireland
Irish premier Harris said he would intervene in the 'appalling' case as Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald raised Ms Towey's case in the Irish Parliament on Tuesday afternoon.
Mr Harris thanked Ms McDonald for bringing the case to his attention, saying: 'I'm not directly appraised of the situation, but I'm very happy to be directly appraised of it now.'
He said he would work with the deputy 'to intervene and see how we can support an Irish citizen in what sounds to be – based on what you tell me – the most appalling circumstances'.
The Department of Foreign Affairs told the Irish Daily Mail it was aware of the case and was offering consular assistance.
Ms McDonald told Dail Eireann that Ms Towey has been the victim of domestic violence and is subject to a travel ban over alleged charges.
She said she had spoken to Ms Towey, and that the 28-year-old's mother travelled to Dubai to be with her.
'Tori wants to come home, simple as that. She is a Roscommon woman and she wants to come home,' she said.
Radha Stirling, CEO of DiD says Tori's husband attacked her with a knife and punched her, before slamming her arm in the bathroom door trying to break it. Pictured the injuries said to be from the alleged attack
The 28-year-old moved to the UAE in April 2023 when she was offered a job as a flight attendant with Emirates
In 2018, one member of Dubai Police said that they would focus on treatment rather than punishment when it came to suicide victims, even though suicide and suicide attempts are a crime in the country.
Brig Ahmed bin Ghalaita, then director of Al Refaa Police Station, told The National: 'The move is taken to provide support to suicide attempters and deal with them as victims who need moral support and help.
'Suicide cases are being examined by a police unit and experts in the psychology field to identify the causes behind their attempts and find solutions for them.'
It comes as earlier this year, British wives boasting of luxury new lives funded by millionaire husbands in Dubai have been warned they risk being dumped homeless on the streets at any moment.
Experts have revealed a surge in complaints from not only women but also men betrayed and dumped by wealthy partners after upping sticks for the Middle East.
The alert comes amid a TikTok and Instagram trend of UK women sharing footage of spending sprees in the United Arab Emirates after wedding wealthy husbands.
MailOnline had also reported on an influx of expats pampered by rich partners, enjoying days filled with shopping trips, extravagant meals and property upgrades.
