.. copy and pasted from the "Daily Mail" website .. article written by Olivia Allhusen .. .. nightingale mist the second of planet apocalips: "OH NO... That poor man.."

British grandfather pleads for help and says he is having 'dark thoughts' as he faces jail in Dubai after his UAE business collapsed By OLIVIA ALLHUSEN, FOREIGN NEWS REPORTER Published: 05:24 EDT, 4 October 2026 | Updated: 05:24 EDT, 4 October 2026 Share Add us as a preferred source 2 comments A British grandfather stranded in Dubai after his business collapsed has pleaded for help, saying he is having 'very, very dark' days as he faces the prospect of jail and remains unable to return home. Simon Ferguson, 64, revealed he is considering handing himself in to immigration officials in the hope they will deport him back to Britain - but fears they will imprison him instead. The grandfather, from Mancot in North Wales, says mounting debts and visa overstay fines have left him trapped in the UAE, where he is sleeping on a sofa in a flat shared with six women and 33 rescue cats. He is borrowing money to buy groceries and relies on food packages sent by his ex-wife and former girlfriend to get by. If two business opportunities he is pursuing fail to materialise in the coming days, Mr Ferguson says he plans to hand himself in to immigration officials in the hope of being deported. 'I don't want to do that, but if it's the only way out, I can't sit here in this environment, living the way I'm living, having to beg money off people,' he said. He said he had discussed the prospect with his children and now saw it as a possible route home. Mr Ferguson said he was not asking people for money, but hoped they would share his story and keep attention on his case. He said he believed public interest could help ensure he was not detained for a lengthy period if he ultimately handed himself in and was deported. 'I feel I'm at a point where something drastic has to happen to make this work,' he said. 'Either hand myself in or... well, I don't want to say it out loud.' Simon Ferguson, 64, revealed he is considering handing himself in to immigration officials in the hope they will deport him back to Britain - but fears they will imprison him instead + 2 View gallery Simon Ferguson, 64, revealed he is considering handing himself in to immigration officials in the hope they will deport him back to Britain - but fears they will imprison him instead The grandfather, from Mancot in North Wales, says mounting debts and visa overstay fines have left him trapped in the UAE, where he is sleeping on a sofa in a flat shared with six women and 33 rescue cats + 2 View gallery The grandfather, from Mancot in North Wales, says mounting debts and visa overstay fines have left him trapped in the UAE, where he is sleeping on a sofa in a flat shared with six women and 33 rescue cats TRENDING I am no neighbour from hell, says man who demolished his half of home 10.2k viewing now Signed copy of Meghan's book as gift to Eugenie is on eBay for £20,000 19.8k viewing now Mayfair's Connaught Hotel has a homeless migrant camp on its doorstep 7.9k viewing now Mr Ferguson added: 'I want to keep fighting, but at the moment I don't see an end to it all. I don't see an end to this.' Mr Ferguson said the ordeal had taken a heavy toll on his mental health. He said: 'There are some days when it just overwhelms. I'm stuck. 'It gets very, very dark. 'I've made promises to my kids I'm not going to do anything stupid... doing something seriously stupid doesn't affect me anymore. It hurts everybody else.' Mr Ferguson has lived in the UAE for around 20 years and previously worked with Emirates Airlines before establishing Aviation Assets Middle East, a company that helps airlines buy, sell and return aircraft and source spare parts. He said the business was already struggling before a series of health problems left him unable to work as much as he needed and exhausted his savings. His passport was also seized as part of court proceedings relating to company debts, he previously said. Without a passport, he says he cannot obtain a new visa. Without a visa, he cannot obtain a UAE identity card, open a bank account or legally work, leaving him unable to rebuild his finances or leave the country. A GoFundMe appeal initially offered hope, with generous donations helping him get by. But Mr Ferguson said his daughter's bank account was subsequently closed, leaving her unable to access £300 of the money raised. He was previously offered an apartment through his daughter's friends who used to live in Dubai, but had to move out after three months. He now sleeps on a settee in the lounge of a three-bedroom apartment, where six women share the bedrooms and the owner rescues cats. While he said the arrangement was far from ideal, Mr Ferguson stressed he remained grateful for 'the roof and the kindness' he had been shown. Mr Ferguson said at least 15 cats are around him every night, with their playing and fighting leaving him struggling to sleep. 'I used to like cats. I'm not as keen on them now,' he joked. With no internet connection in the apartment he goes to Dunkin' Donuts to get online while trying to secure remote work. Mr Ferguson is drawing on his aviation contacts and seeking opportunities to broker aircraft and components, hoping to earn his way out of debt. But he said he has been pursuing that hope for six or seven months without the results he needs. The two opportunities he is waiting on involve a brokerage deal and an investor. He said he had also spoken to lawyers about help with his debts and fines, but could not afford the fees they requested. If the business opportunities fail, he plans to travel to the airport, where he says the immigration services are based, and hand himself in. His children continue to support him, although they have not been able to visit recently. Both his sons visited last year, but he said his daughters have not been out for three years.