Freed Dubai detainee Tori ‘so excited’ as she finally boards flight to Ireland

FREED Dubai detainee Tori Towey is on a flight back to Ireland, a campaign group who helped secure her release revealed.

Lawyer and human rights campaigner Radha Stirling, who first highlighted Tori’s plight, told the Irish Sun this morning that Ms Towey was on her way home from her Dubai hell.

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Tori, 28, was facing criminal charges, including attempting suicide and consuming alcohol, following a brutal attack by her husband at their home in the United Arab Emirates.

The desperate Emirates Airlines flight attendant, from Boyle, Co Roscommon, pleaded for help from the Irish Government after she was taken to a police station and her passport blocked from use — despite her suffering a campaign of domestic abuse.

She had been forced to stay in a rented apartment in Dubai with mum Caroline, who flew out to support her daughter.

But following a diplomatic intervention from Ireland, the shocking travel ban imposed on Tori by Dubai authorities was lifted, allowing her to fly home.

And Tori is “in very good spirits” and looking forward to being reunited with her family back home after finally boarding a Dublin-bound flight.

Radha, CEO of advocacy group Detained in Dubai, told us: “I’ve spoken to Tori in flight and she’s very excited to arrive home.

“I’ve been texting her and she was saying ‘I’m on the plane right now’. She is so excited to get home.

“The Irish embassy has escorted her to the door of the plane and made sure everything went smoothly.

“It is amazing to get her home.

“I said to her ‘I hope they put you in business class’ and she said no unfortunately. And I said well any way to freedom is a good way.

“She is in very good spirits and looking forward to being reunited with all her family in Ireland.” 

Ahead of her journey back to Ireland, Radha shared the good news that Tori embarking on the long-awaited flight.

Earlier she posted: “Tori Towey is excited to be in the final stages of coming home. The Irish Embassy will escort her to her Dublin bound flight. They are running their final checks now to ensure no last minute hiccups.”

The Irish victim of domestic violence who was detained by Dubai cops and charged with “attempted suicide” has spoken of her relief after being allowed to return home.

Traumatised Tori told the Irish Sun she was “totally overwhelmed” by the huge outpouring of support from Irish citizens amid her ordeal.

TORI’S HELL OVER

By NEIL COTTER, Head of News

THE efforts to have flight attendant Tori Towey released from her Dubai hell have been truly phenomenal.

The Irish woman who has endured a living nightmare in the Middle East since her attacker husband forced her to the brink will soon be home.

It all happened in little over 24 hours since her plight was raised in the Dail and through the media. But the efforts from all concerned have been ongoing for longer and have been heroic.

The 28-year-old from Co Roscommon was stuck in Dubai after she was attacked and faced charges of attempted suicide and alcohol consumption.

Her passport was destroyed and she was banned from leaving the country.

As Mary Lou McDonald said in the Dail, the approach of the authorities there to domestic violence is “grotesque and medieval”.

Yesterday, following days of work by embassy and Government staff, the travel ban was lifted and plans put in place to take her home.

Hopefully for Tori, the nightmare is over.

And she declared: “Thank you for the support. I really appreciate it.”

Frantic Tori had been facing jail time in Dubai after being charged over a bid to take her own life following the attack by her husband.

The young woman suffered severe bruising and other injuries.

But in the wake of the horrific domestic abuse, authorities in Dubai instead charged the assault victim with attempted suicide and alcohol consumption.

And rather than helping her return to Ireland, Tori was left trapped in Dubai after she was hit with a travel ban ahead of a scheduled court showdown next week.

Sinn Fein TD Claire Kerrane said that Tori will speak “when she is ready to” after getting back home.

The representative, who raised Tori’s plight in the Dail, said: “I have been in touch with Tori this morning. She wants to get home to Co Roscommon and rest.

“She will speak when she is ready to. I hope that will be respected and she will be given that space.”

BAN FINALLY LIFTED

On Wednesday, Taoiseach Simon Harris revealed that Dubai’s travel ban on Ms Towey had been lifted.

Delivering an update in “real time” in the Dail, Harris said: “I’ve just been informed that the travel ban has been lifted, that the embassy will take Tori to the airport as soon as she is ready to go.”

Harris thanked the Irish embassy in the UAE for its work on the case, describing Tori’s ordeal as “unimaginable”.

He said: “A woman who has been a victim of a brutal attack found herself waking up not in hospital, but in a police station.”

Tori’s overjoyed relatives in Roscommon revealed they were planning a big homecoming party for their girl.

Her aunt, Ann Flynn, beamed: “It’s amazing, you can’t believe the relief. But it’s amazing. The best news ever.”

And she praised both Government and opposition TDs for the “amazing” support they had given to their crisis-hit family.

Ann told how her stressed niece was facing “no light at the end of the tunnel” until dramatic diplomatic interventions from Ireland.

‘NEW CHAPTER’ PLAN

Tori’s family are now looking forward to starting “a new chapter with her”.

Ann, who spoke to Tori’s mum Caroline on the phone after news broke that travel ban had been lifted, said: “Life starts again.

“It’s all our Christmases come together, we’re so excited and can’t wait to get the two home.”

Another aunt, Trish Beirne, called it “great news” that Tori was coming home and also paid tribute to friends in the Roscommon area who had offered support to the family.

Trish said: “Until the chips are down you don’t realise how good people are.”

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