A MUM who is worried sick about her helpless son stranded in a Middle Eastern jail cell has had her “whole world shattered” by the “surreal” ordeal.
Petrified mum Kirsty Reynolds is “terrified” that her upstanding child “won’t come out alive” after he was sentenced to three months in a Bahraini jail.
Owen Haggerty, pictured with his siblings, has been chucked into a Bahraini jail[/caption]
Terrified mum Kirsty Reynolds hasn’t been able to “get a wink of sleep” since the nightmare event[/caption]
Owen Haggerty, pictured his family, broke up a fight between a couple before he was thrown into a cell[/caption]
Royal Navy sailor Owen Hagerty, 22, was mercilessly thrown into a detention centre after he “broke up a fight”.
But her son was slapped with a brutal sentence related to assault charges “in a matter of seconds” when he attended his hearing.
She hopelessly pleaded: “All I wanted was to welcome him home.”
“He’s going to be in with murderers, rapists, all the horrible people. It’s going to be so dangerous.”
The desperate mum also claimed authorities in the Arab state didn’t even hear her son’s claim to innocence before he was handed the devastating sentence.
She said: “He never even got a chance to speak in court, it was over in a matter of seconds.
“The colour drained from my face as I was told the news.
“When I spoke to Owen, he was in floods of tears.
“He told me he is trying to stay positive and just wants to come back home.
She added that her “whole world has shattered”, and that the whole experience had left her “sleepless”.
“I can’t process it. It’s so surreal,” she cried.
Owen, who was always keen to travel and explore, joined the Royal Navy in 2021 and left for his first deployment in Bahrain last October.
He told his mum he was “having the time of his life” – before he was ruthlessly chucked into a detention centre.
The bold sailor was expected to return home in February after spending four months in the detention centre.
The 22-year-old son was arrested on assault charges[/caption]
His mum claimed authorities didn’t hear a word he had to say before he was handed a sentence[/caption]
But in a horrific twist, the 22-year-old was handed a three-month sentence for assault after breaking up a fight between a couple.
She was reduced to tears when a Royal Navy officer informed her of her sons unfortunate arrest – despite him seemingly doing nothing wrong.
The mum said: “He never even got a chance to speak in court, it was over in a matter of seconds.
“He mentally can’t do any more time over there, especially in prison.”
Owen’s brother Jack, had also flown over to Bahrain to bring him out of the detention centre and back home.
“His brother said he’s just a shell of himself – how much more is he going to be able to take?” Owen’s mum added.
“Nobody ever expected it to go this far – he’s just a boy.”
Since his sentencing, Owen’s family has spent over £4,000 hiring a lawyer – and is working with her local MP, the Home Office and the Royal Navy to get Owen back to the UK.
A Royal Navy Spokesperson said: “The welfare of our people is a top priority which is why we are continuing to support a member of the Royal Navy detained in Bahrain as well as his family.
“We are working with the British Embassy in Bahrain and in regular contact with Bahrain’s law enforcement authorities.
“Regular visits have been made to the individual by the chain of command, colleagues and consular officials to provide support.”
Owen Haggerty with his brother Jack, who travelled to Bahrain to pick him up[/caption]
The sailor left the UK for Bahrain with the Royal Navy last October[/caption]
