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But why got to the Dubai authorities? She would only do this if she was aware of the laws there right and only to get the lad banged up. She was back in the UK when she reported it reported it right?

Yeh the whole thing stinks of “I don’t want you hanging out with that boy!”.

Contacting Dubai police, once back in the UK and him still there, is fucking cowardly, deliberate and desperately unkind.

Exactly. I’m getting way too invested, but I can’t get over how evil an act it was to contact Dubai authorities.

It would be easy to go full Godwin's law here. Instead I'll just say maybe think this through a bit more. Laws are not moral principles but social constructions.

The crux of the issue is Dubai. If this had happened in insert trashy British all inclusive holiday destination it wouldn’t even be a conversation let alone news.

Of course it is social, hence it changing around the world. Apparently in Nigeria the age of consent is 11. I don't think it is okay for a couple of Nigerian kids aged 10 and 11 to not get in trouble with the UK law if they were sleeping together on holiday here. That's separate to what I think is an appropriate age for sex.

But would you report them to UK police?

The 11 year old? Probably not.

I wouldn't report a 20 year old on a trip to DisneyWorld that bought a beer. But if they got caught by General Lee I wouldn't cry for them.

If it happened in Magaluf, he’d be given free shots at Carwash all week.

Why was the lad still in Dubai when the girl and mum were back in Blighty? Is he a Dubai resident?

It happened in September, he's been held there ever since.

I guess the mum reported it very soon after getting back to the UK whilst the lad's holiday was due to end a bit later.

Yeah why go there it is shit.

Fucking Dubai. Fuck that joint. Anyone who goes there is running a risk.

I've had to use Dubai as a connection to Europe the last two times I've been over, I've hated the experience and myself for doing it but it was the cheapest way to travel. I've decided I'm gonna pay more and fly with someone else next time, practice what you preach, vote with your feet, etc. Why would anyone wanna spend time in the place? It's awful.

Between Dubai, Qatar, Singapore and Hong Kong, which one is the PC choice?

Probably Malaysia, and they don't have the greatest human rights record either.

Or Air NZ but who wants to fly through the US? And spend 30hrs+ getting to Europe. I've done it, twice!

Yeah. At this stage for any European destination I'm making a bad choice. So I'll just pick the most direct route and shrug. Won't be doing a stopover though

Where are you going to find anyone 1 year younger than you to bang though?

Flying via Korea is an option

Between Dubai, Qatar, Singapore and Hong Kong, which one is the PC choice?

Two of those have slavery, one's rapidly losing any semblance of rule of law (that isn't instantly amendable to be what mainland China wants it to be) and the final one is technically a democracy but is in reality so heavily gerrymandered that it's an authoritarian one party state.

None are great, but Singapore definitely wins if compared to the others (unless it's including countryside, where HK wins hands down).

Aren't there direct flights from Perth now?

Singapore is the least bad option imo.

But I'm not in Perth. Adelaide Doha Frankfurt is the most direct route home. Anything else adds a lot of travel time.

Shame that that means a really long wait at Changi. Not the worst airport for it but still sucks. Also more $$$

They optimise it for the Heathrow - Sydney flight I think, that's half an hour wait whilst they hose out the cabin and hose in some fuel. You get off, wander out into the hall, into a departure lounge and then back onto your plane- same seat you just left usually.

I'm flying back to the UK on Monday, with a ticket I bought in January, which feels slightly odd for some reason.