Deported woman in false online campaign

Sharjah: A British woman, who was deported from Sharjah after it was found that she was working illegally for a school, has launched an online campaign, which also includes the media, against Dubai.

She states she was deported from Dubai and forced to leave her six-year-old daughter behind as she worked in the emirate without her estranged husband's permission.

Denying her claims, the officials at the Dubai residency department said that Tess Lorringan, 46, was never arrested or jailed in Dubai and that her residence visa was issued in Sharjah.

Tess reportedly told the media in her country that she was teaching in a classroom when immigration officials arrested and put her in prison.

Giving details, Dubai Police officials said there was only one case against her, which was lodged in the Bur Dubai Police Station over a brawl with her husband Michael Lorrigan.

Tess lived in the UAE and worked illegally at a school in Sharjah without obtaining permission from the labour or residency department in the emirate.

According to Sharjah residency department officials, she was arrested during a campaign against illegal residents.

Husband's sponsorship

The officials said that the woman and her husband used to have frequent fights and would often report to the police stations. Tess was on her husband's sponsorship and her six-year-old adopted Nepali daughter is also on the sponsorship of the father.

The officials said that she was arrested in May and was bailed out. The court found her guilty of working illegally here and was sentenced to be deported.

"She should have obtained work permission, as the law here allows women on husbands' or fathers' sponsorship to work, but they need to obtain labour permits," an official said.

A woman who wishes to work while she is on her father's or husband's sponsorship gets a labour card that is valid for a year. It can be renewed as long as she wants to work.

Failed marriage

Tess has also launched a Facebook campaign "to rescue her adopted daughter from Dubai's harsh law," according to UK media reports that quoted her.

According to the reports, she said she moved to Dubai 15 years ago and married in 2001. She and her husband adopted their daughter, Olianne, in February 2008 but the marriage failed, and in November 2009, Tess filed for divorce through the UK courts.

Tess said she used to work as teacher in a school in Sharjah and that she was stunned when, in May this year, immigration officers entered her classroom, arrested her and took her to the immigration court for working illegally without a work permit.