A man arrested in Dubai for a Christmas home review on Google

A Northern  Irish tourist arrested in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after posting a negative  comment on Google has said  his return home  was a "Christmas  miracle".
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Craig Ballentine, from Cookstown,  Co Tyrone, was arrested  at Abu Dhabi  Airport in October  after posting critical comments about his former employer in  Dubai.
He was  charged with defamation, but the UAE's  tough cybercrime laws meant he also faced  a prison sentence for the remarks he made in the online  magazine.
The 33-year-old arrived in Dublin on Thursday morning after his travel ban  was lifted and told BBC News NI he was "happy to be  in the Irish  pub now".
Craig Ballentine  was pictured  wearing a  camel-coloured hoodie with his friend  Sean, who  was wearing a  t-shirt and dark jacket at the airport. They  smile at the  camera.
Craig was  met by his  friend Sean at the airport
"It  was very  worrying because it  was quite confusing," he told BBC News NI on Thursday  morning.
"In a minute, everything  changes.
"It was a Christmas  miracle."
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"Happiness came when I arrived at Dublin  airport, when I saw Dublin from the sky, that was  it.
"I'll eat a really big fry in  an hour or two and then  focus mostly on friends and  family. "On Christmas  Eve we're doing the 12 Christmas  announcements -  some friends from Liverpool  are coming, we do it every year - and I texted them this  morning saying, 'I'm  coming'."
Support from  Stormont
Several politicians  have come forward to highlight Mr Ballentine's case, including Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neill, former UUP leader Sir Reg Empey and Mid Ulster councillor Trevor  Wilson.
Ballentine previously told BBC News NI that all he wanted  to do was get home to his  family for Christmas.
He said the last few weeks  had been  difficult for them.
He has already paid a fine but said he  could have to return to Dubai at the end of January for a further court  hearing.
He said that  when it came to his case, he would have to "play it by  ear". "We'll know a  little bit  about the  court's decision on Christmas Eve," he  added.
"We'll have to wait another 30 days and then they  can appeal again, so it could be February, March, April, or it could be  removed like that,  it's over."
Why was Craig Ballentine  arrested? In 2023,  Mr. Ballentine  found work at a dog grooming salon in  Dubai.
After working there for almost six months, he needed time off due to illness and so  provided his employer  with a  medical certificate as proof of his  condition.
But when he  didn't show up for work, he registered as  a "fugitive" with UAE authorities,  meaning he  couldn't leave the  country. Mr Ballentine  then managed to get  the travel ban lifted and  returned home to Northern Ireland, but  it took two months and cost him thousands of  pounds.
Mr Ballentine had returned to the  United Arab Emirates for a short holiday
Mr Ballentine had returned to the  United Arab Emirates for a short holiday
While back in Northern Ireland,  she wrote an online review of the dog grooming salon,  highlighting the problems  her former  employer allegedly caused  her.
He told BBC News NI  that his Google post "explained the ordeal I went  through".
At the end of October,  Mr. Ballentine returned to the  United Arab Emirates for a short  vacation, after which he was  soon arrested  on suspicion of defamation.
He was transferred from Abu Dhabi to Dubai where he  was supposed to await the  conclusion of the case.

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