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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