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Craig Ballentine makes an affectional instrumentality to Ireland aft being detained successful Dubai
A holidaymaker from Northern Ireland who was detained successful the United Arab Emirates (UAE) aft posting a antagonistic Google reappraisal astir his erstwhile leader has said returning location is simply a "Christmas miracle".
Craig Ballentine, from Cookstown, County Tyrone, was arrested successful Abu Dhabi airdrome successful October due to the fact that of his captious comments.
Under the UAE's strict cybercrime laws, helium was accused of slander and faced imaginable jailhouse time.
The 33-year-old arrived successful Dublin connected Thursday greeting aft his question prohibition had been lifted and helium told BBC News NI helium was "happy to beryllium connected Irish writer now".
Craig was greeted by his friend, Sean, astatine the airport
"It has been precise overwhelming, due to the fact that it has been rather confusing," helium said.
"One infinitesimal everything changes.
"It has been a Christmas miracle.
"The happiness kicked successful erstwhile I conscionable arrived astatine Dublin Airport, erstwhile I saw Dublin from the sky, that was it.
"I volition person an other large fry successful the adjacent hr oregon 2 and past it volition beryllium chiefly focusing connected seeing friends and family.
"On Christmas Eve, we are going to bash the 12 pubs of Christmas - determination are a fewer friends from Liverpool coming over, we bash it each twelvemonth - and I texted them this morning, saying, 'I'm coming'."
Stormont support
There were interventions from a fig of politicians to item Mr Ballentine's case, including Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neill, erstwhile UUP person Sir Reg Empey and Mid Ulster councillor Trevor Wilson.
Upon Mr Ballentine's return, O'Neill said : "I americium delighted to perceive the quality that Craig has arrived backmost successful Ireland. It has been a hard fewer months for him and his household who were acrophobic for his safety.
"My bureau was blessed to assistance successful immoderate mode we could passim this ordeal. I anticipation that Craig tin present bask clip astatine location successful the institution of his household and friends who person supported him passim this hard situation."
Mr Ballentine had antecedently told BBC News NI that all helium wanted was to get location for Christmas to his family.
He said the past fewer weeks person been pugnacious connected them.
Mr Ballentine has already paid a good but said helium whitethorn person to instrumentality to Dubai astatine the extremity of January for a further tribunal hearing.
He said that with respect to his case, helium would person to "play it by ear".
"On Christmas Eve, we volition cognize a spot of a verdict of the tribunal judgement," helium added.
"Have to hold for different 30 days and past they mightiness entreaty again, truthful it could beryllium February, March, April, oregon other it could conscionable beryllium lifted conscionable similar that, finished."
Why was Craig Ballentine detained?
In 2023, Mr Ballentine got a occupation successful a canine grooming salon successful Dubai.
After moving determination for astir six months, helium needed clip disconnected owed to unwellness and truthful helium gave his leader a doctor's certificate arsenic impervious of his condition.
But erstwhile helium did not amusement up for work, helium was registered arsenic "absconded" with the UAE authorities, which meant helium could not permission the country.
Mr Ballentine aboriginal managed to get that question prohibition lifted and went location to Northern Ireland, but doing truthful took 2 months and outgo him thousands of pounds.
Mr Ballentine had returned to the UAE for a abbreviated holiday
While helium was backmost successful Northern Ireland, helium wrote an online reappraisal of the canine grooming salon, outlining the problems his erstwhile brag had allegedly caused him.
He told BBC News NI his Google station "explained the ordeal that I went through".
In precocious October, Mr Ballentine returned to the UAE for a abbreviated holiday, astatine which constituent helium was instantly arrested for the alleged slander.
He was transferred from Abu Dhabi to Dubai wherever helium had to await the result of the case.
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