A British student has been sentenced to life in prison in Dubai after what her family calls “a very stupid mistake,” sparking shock and disbelief in the U.K.

Mia O’Brien, 23, from Huyton, Liverpool, is currently held in Dubai’s central prison, her mother revealed in a now-deleted fundraising post meant to cover legal fees and travel costs.

Mia has been given a life sentence over in Dubai, and she is now in central prison, Danielle McKenna, 46, wrote. “As you can all probably imagine, as her mother, I am absolutely devastated. I haven’t seen my daughter since last October.”

Describing her daughter as a law student with a spotless record, McKenna added: