Katie Price’s husband Lee Andrews has spoken publicly for the first time since disappearing from public view for several weeks, claiming he was detained at gunpoint near the Oman border before being held on suspicion of espionage.
The 43-year-old shared a video on social media describing what he said was a dramatic ordeal in the United Arab Emirates, where he had spent the past month in custody before being released last week.
In the video, Andrews claimed he was taken near the Hatta-Oman border by armed men before being detained by security forces.
“I was taken close to the Hatta-Oman border by men at gunpoint and then I was captured by men with assault rifles,” he said.
“They did slap me around a little bit, little s***s, and I was hand-tied, shackled and also had a hood over my head.”
Andrews went on to claim he was held at what he described as a “black site” before being transferred into the official prison system.
“At no point have I faced anything to do with fraud allegations or any criminal activities such as that,” he said.
However, UAE authorities have disputed Andrews’ account of events. Officials have reportedly stated that he was held on suspicion of fraud and rejected suggestions that he had been imprisoned for espionage-related matters.
Despite the conflicting explanations, Andrews doubled down on his version of events, insisting geopolitical tensions in the region contributed to his detention.
“Because of the tensions and things happening in the region, and me being so close to the border, this is why I was suspected of espionage and held in a state security building without the use of a telephone and any right to shower, contact or speak to any of my family, including the embassy or my wife,” he said.
He praised Katie Price for campaigning publicly during his detention and credited her efforts with helping secure his release.
“Thank you to Katie for making such a noise where the UAE actually listened and let me go,” he said.
Andrews acknowledged that he later became involved in a separate civil matter in Dubai, which he said resulted in him being transferred to a mainstream prison before eventually securing his freedom.
The former glamour model quickly flew to Dubai after his release and the couple were photographed together during an emotional reunion. Price later shared Andrews’ video on social media alongside the message: “My husband is back. I love you.”
The pair’s relationship has attracted significant attention since they met through Instagram earlier this year and married in Dubai just days later.
Price had previously said she intended to question Andrews about the circumstances surrounding his detention once they were reunited.
“I am not stupid,” she said before travelling to Dubai. “And if the answers I get are not right, that will be it.”
The controversy comes amid reports that Andrews has faced a number of legal difficulties in Dubai. Court documents reportedly showed financial penalties linked to separate proceedings, while Andrews is also known to have previous convictions in the UK.
For now, questions remain over exactly what happened during his four weeks in custody, with Andrews and UAE officials continuing to offer sharply different accounts of the events that led to his detention.
