George Cross hero accused of spying in Dubai

Matt Croucher has spent seven months in Dubai after being charged with a spying offence

A George Cross recipient and former Royal Marine has reportedly been held in Dubai after being accused of spying.

Former Lance Corporal Matt Croucher was arrested on 4 November, The Times newspaper said.

The 40-year-old from Solihull, West Midlands, was charged with “intentionally and illegally accessing a telecommunications network”. He has been released from jail but is unable to travel home as his passport has been seized.

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has confirmed it is supporting a British man in the UAE and is in contact with the local authorities.

Matt Croucher with Queen Elizabeth II in 2010. A George Cross is a medal awarded only rarely, for "acts of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme danger"

Mr Croucher, now a security consultant, was questioned on his links to the UK Ministry of Defence, it was said.

In a statement his family said they were suffering from “immense stress” and the case was “made up and ridiculous”.

They said: “We’re shocked at the set of circumstances which have played out over the last seven months. Matt was due to only be away for a couple of weeks, returning through Dubai after working in the Middle East on his way home.

“We don’t understand why it’s taking the Dubai authorities so long to process this case, being constantly told it should be resolved in a week or two, a case we believe to be made up and ridiculous.”

The veteran has been left with no phone, passport or assess to his internet banking, his friends have told the Times

Mr Croucher was interrogated for six hours by Dubai’s police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and accused of being a spy, according to a friend of Mr Croucher's who spoke to The Times.

They retrieved an electronic device he claimed he used for security penetration testing in the course of his normal day-to-day security work, from his possessions after obtaining a warrant, the friend said.

He was jailed for four days before being released under investigation. It was understood there was insufficient evidence for the public prosecutor to progress with the charge.

However, the Dubai authorities confiscated his phone, passport and internet banking access device, which means he is stuck in the country with no money.

During his military career, he received one of the highest decorations for his acts of bravery while deployed in Helmand Province, Afghanistan in 2008.

He threw himself onto an exploding grenade to save the lives of his reconnaissance troop patrol only surviving because his rucksack and body armour took the force of the blast.

He was part of a reconnaissance troop in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in February, when the incident happened.

A George Cross is awarded only rarely, for "acts of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme danger"