THE MAY DECEIT

Firstly, David has stressed that he wants to thank the Dubai Authorities, especially the Bur Dubai
Police for their professionalism, honour, kindness and understanding. Despite being held without
charge in their custody for almost eight months, he has no argument whatsoever with the Dubai
Authorities. David believes Dubai to be a fantastic city and looks forward to when he is released
to enjoy it once more once the nightmare his former employers have created for him is over.
UPDATE:
Since 18 May 2014, David has been held, without criminal charge, in jail in Dubai. What follows
is a description of the events since that date which have seen David subjected to a cynical plot
perpetrated against him by his former employers and friends at GFH Capital (GFH) and their
lawyers Gibson Dunn. David believes their actions are a fundamental attempt to misuse the
Dubai legal system in order to have him deprived of his liberty and voice. Their actions, worthy of
a movie script, have seen Davids basic human rights abused by his former employers and people
he considered as friends at both GFH (GFH) and Gibson Dunn Crutcher LLP (Gibson Dunn).
The following is Davids honest response to the allegations which have been fabricated against
him:
DECEIT AND DISHONESTY OF THOSE DAVID ONCE TRUSTED
David was lured to Dubai in May 2014 by the deceit and dishonestly of those he once trusted,
looked up to and called friends. On the false premise of discussing monies they (GFH) owed him
including commission for the sale of Leeds United Football Club (Leeds United) and a potential
new role for him in London, David was lured to travel to Dubai. The supposed meeting was also
to discuss a new role in London offered to him by GFH. Under the laws of Dubai (which are based
on Sharia law) David is able to be held in jail without charge indefinitely in a manner where the
power of the accuser is significant in keeping David in jail without bail.
DAVIDS ARREST
When David arrived at the Dubai offices of GFH on May 18, still recovering from serious stomach
surgery he underwent in the UK of which GFH were well aware, he was immediately arrested and
taken to Bur Dubai Police Station where he remains to this day without bail, charge, trial or even
questioning. He is guilty of NO wrong doing. David is wrongly accused of stealing approximately
GBP 3.6 million from GFH.

Shortly after his arrest and whilst he was in extreme pain and without food or painkillers GFHs
representatives visited David in Jail and attempted to procure his agreement to transfer his
assets and claims to GFH Capital. It was made plain to David that if he did not comply with these
unreasonable and outrageous demands, he would be kept locked up indefinitely with no chance
of Bail. Naturally, despite his weakened state, David refused to comply with these demands.
Shortly after he responded with his lawyers offering to GFH the opportunity to appoint an
independent accountant, in this case leading international firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
to investigate their allegations. David was sufficiently confident that he had committed no
wrongdoings to agree unconditionally to abide by the findings of such experts and, if they
deemed necessary, to repay any monies owing to GFH - provided that GFH also agreed to pay any
sums to David that the report concluded were due. Despite Davids undertakings, GFH were not
interested. David has in any event appointed PwC to do a full reconciliation of monies received
and due to him from GFH. Perhaps unsurprisingly in view of his well-founded claims that GFH
owes him money, GFH are continuing to refuse to co-operate with David and PwCs requests for
information and documents in this regard.
NO FOOD, MEDICINE OR MONEY - COMPREHENSIVELY DISABLED
Deprived of his medicine and unable to eat because of his surgery, David virtually starved for his
first two weeks in jail and was in extreme pain. David was deprived of access to his documents
and records needed to defend himself and had at the time virtually no access to lawyers, friends,
family or the outside world. GFH and its lawyers moved rapidly against David in his
comprehensively disabled state and sought to freeze his assets and block his access to funds in
order for the to be able to pay for food, medicine, lawyers and living expenses. At the same time,
they launched a blitz of ill-founded legal actions against him with sometimes 5 or more hostile
lengthy legal letters a day from his once trusted colleagues, friends and advisors. While he was
being effectively being buried in litigation upon litigation across the globe, David at the time
couldnt even get a pen or paper with which to begin to defend himself far less access to
computer and document records which would prove the falsity of the GFH allegations.
Unsurprisingly in these circumstances, GFH was successful in their quest for a freezing
order which entitled David to ZERO funds whilst in prison for food medicine or living expenses.
David was simply unable to defend himself in this predicament which he believes was precisely
the GFH/Gibson Dunn plan in luring him to Dubai and having incarcerated without money,
rights or voice.
WILL SHORTLY LOOSE HIS DUBAI HOME
The freezing orders and the false acquisitions against David continued to bite as David was forced
to default on his regular living and financial commitments since his arrest. David has defaulted

on all his credit cards and mortgage payments as he is unable to pay them as a result of GFH and
Gibson Dunns actions which have allowed him zero funds since his arrest to meet ongoing
commitments. Inevitable, it is now anticipated that additional criminal debt cases will be filed
against David in Dubai where debt is a criminal offence. Additionally, David will shortly loose his
Dubai home as a result of defaulting on mortgage payments he is not even permitted to remove
his much treasured possessions including photographs of his former fianc, who tragically
committed suicide in 2013.
MONEY WHICH DAVID NEEDS FOR PAYING FOR HIS LEGAL FEES AND LIVING
EXPENSES
Loss of Davids Dubai home will not only mean another criminal case against David but David
will also suffer a significant financial loss because of it, money which he needs to pay for his legal
fees and living expenses. David is simply stuck in a washing machine cycle of spiralling legal
actions from which he cannot escape again, David believes, precisely as planned by GFH all
along.
NEW LAWYERS
David is fortunate in having lawyers and advisors who believe strongly and passionately in his
innocence and his powerful counter-claims against GFH, not to mention their patience in waiting
for fees.
David is represented by Stephenson Harwood Middle East LLP (www.shlegal.com) partner
Rovine Chandrasekera and associate Shiraz Sethi. Together with local Dubai Counsel Nasser
Mallala (www.nmlaw.ae)
David is also represented by Alun Jones QC, a leading international human rights barrister from
Great James Street Chambers in London, along with Zafar Ali QC in order to ensure David's
urgent release from custody, a statement said.
Ali and his junior, Ryan Hawthorne, act for David in proceedings in the Dubai International
Finance Centre Courts while Alun Jones acts on David's behalf with regards to his human rights
action, which was recently lodged in the High Court in London, alleging deceit and conspiracy to
injure against GFH for their actions in luring him to Dubai and causing his wrongful
imprisonment without trial or charge.
DAVIDS DEFENCE

David wants nothing more than to be able publicly and openly to answers the claims against him.
Whilst GFH are the ones that put David in this terrible disabled situation by their Deceit, GFH
and their lawyers were the first to complain about the time it took David to respond to the
allegations against him. For a long time David Was only allowed 5-10 minutes with his lawyers a
week and for many months virtually no access to his own computer files and records. Thankfully
this has improved of late thanks to the generosity and understanding of the Dubai Authorities.
With a little bit more access to his legal team, Davids team leapt at the opportunity and his team
met up in Dubai in December 2014 and filed his Defence together with a complementary report
from PwC in late December 2014. They also progressed Davids various claims against GFH and
associate parties. However, GFHs actions again bit when David was denied access to his funds to
pay a counterclaim fee to the DIFC courts of USD 20,000 thus deliberately preventing David
from filing his circa 5 million counterclaim against GFHs circa 3.6 million claim against
David.
OTHER CLAIMS
David and his associated companies have the following claims filed or soon to be filed against
GFH and associates:

English Court claim against GFH and others for Deceit and conspiracy to injure in excess
of 1 million;

DIFC Court claim against GFH and another for non-payment of bonus shares and cash;

DIFC Counter claim for 5 million (to be filed); and

Additional claims in Dubai and England. Watch this space.

SUPPORT FOR DAVID

One thing that GFH cannot take away from David is the kindness, support and love of those
around the world that support David. His case has been taken up by the British politician
Andrew

George

MP

and

many

other

politicians,

Prisoners

Abroad

(www.prisonersabroad.org.uk), and several leading Human Rights campaigners amongst others.

David is also supported by his family and many friends around the world.

AMAZING LEEDS UNITED FANS

David has been humbled by the support he has received by the ever amazing Leeds United fans
around the world who have not only supported him on twitter and online but who have gone as far as

visiting David in jail and who have sent, books, gifts cards and letters and emails of support and
importantly for David upto date match reports.

HOW YOU CAN HELP?

There are many ways in which you can help David. Davids team is in the process of setting up a
small charitable trust to help David with his living expenses and legal fees. More information later.

In the meantime David is looking for anyone who can help raise awareness of his case or who can
help support Davids existing team:

Campaigners and lobbyists

Web developers

Graphic designers

Social media managers

Lawyers

Forensic Experts (IT, Accountancy, Regulatory, Share markets)

Specialist in shareholder activism

PR and media relations (especially in Saudi, Kuwait and Bahrain)

Journalists and Broadcasters

Please contact team@davidhaigh.co.uk

Thank you
December 2014