Two British women have been found guilty of drug offences in Jamaica following what their families say began as a one week holiday and ended in a serious miscarriage of justice.

Teraiya and Genevive  travelled to Jamaica from the UK on 13 October 2024 meeting up with Genevieve’s boyfriend of two years ‘Tony’, whose real name is Uria Gordon. Tony was already in Jamaica at the time of their arrival, alongside his cousin, Ljohn. The women stayed in a luxury Airbnb in St Mary, with much of the trip, including transport, activities and meals, organised by the men they were visiting.

Prior to travelling, Teraiya’s mother, Sheryl, raised concerns, advising her daughter to arrange separate accommodation and warned her not to carry any items for other people when returning to the UK.

As the trip came to an end, Genevieve’s boyfriend allegedly asked the women to bring multiple pairs of trainers back to the UK for a relative. Teraiya initially refused but later agreed after being persuaded. Genevieve was carrying five pairs of trainers, while Teraiya had three.

At the airport, before clearing security, the women were stopped while queuing at the TUI airline desk. Their passports were taken and their luggage searched. Drugs were discovered hidden inside the trainers. Both women were arrested and taken to a police station in Montego Bay.

Sheryl was notified by the British Embassy at around 11:30pm GMT and travelled to Jamaica four days later. Teraiya spent 19 days in custody before being granted bail on 8 November 2024. Both women were later released on bail but remained unable to leave the country.

Sheryl shares an insight to the families’ strenuous legal battles, with court proceedings pushed back multiple times. The first hearing eventually took place on 18 December 2024 after delays caused by legal representatives failing to attend, as well as Genevieve failing to appear on one occasion.  The women remained in Jamaica for over 16 months. During this period, Teraiya became pregnant and gave birth to a baby girl in October 2025, during hurricane Melissa

In January 2026, both women were found guilty. Their families say they were not adequately represented, noting that key evidence was not presented, and that the trial was unfair, including the absence of a jury. There are also claims that Teraiya’s phone was accessed while she was in custody.

Sentencing is expected in March 2026, with the women facing a minimum sentence of six years. Their families have since secured a UK barrister to support an appeal in Jamaica and are seeking financial assistance to cover legal costs, maintaining the women were groomed and set up while the real shipment passed through undetected.

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