Billy Hood's family say UK government has not helped them

Billy Hood says his friend visiting from England left the CBD oil in his car

The family of a football coach in jail in Dubai has said the UK government has done "nothing" to help free him.

Billy Hood, 25, was convicted for possession of cannabis oil, which is illegal in the UAE, but he says the liquid was left in his car by a friend.

His mother believes he is innocent and is fighting for his release. She says she has "begged" politicians to intervene, but "no-one" will help.

The Foreign Office says the Londoner is receiving consular support.

The former footballer from Notting Hill, was sentenced to 25 years in jail in October, but that was reduced to 10 years on appeal.

Breda Guckion told BBC London that the government did not seem interested in his plight.

"Boris Johnson is too interested in partying; the Foreign Office - they need to change their name to 'Good-For-Nothing Office'," she said, adding: "We've begged them."

She said her son felt the onus was on him to keep officials in the UK up to date with his case and he was spending the "very little" money he has on phone calls to them.

"He's never asked anyone for anything in his life, but he's in this situation now and all he wants is some help from someone, someone out there in power, someone who can just make that little bit of difference, but yet no-one, no-one, will help and we've begged them."

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Mr Hood's uncle David Guckion said he thought the government believed there was "no political gain" in pursuing the case.

Mr Hood was arrested in February 2021 after his house and car were searched. He says he was forced to sign a confession written in Arabic that he was unable to read.

United Arab Emirates prosecutors denied this, and said he had had access to an English-speaking interpreter at all relevant stages.

Penalties for drug offences in the UAE are tougher than in the UK, with drug traffickers sometimes receiving the death penalty.

The Foreign Office said it was in contact with Mr Hood's family.

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