Mum of Royal Navy Sailor, 22, Jailed While Deployed Fears He May Never Return Alive

A British mother is living through every parent’s worst nightmare, fearing she may never see her son again after he was jailed overseas following an altercation while serving with the Royal Navy.

Kirsty Reynolds, 41, was counting down the days to her son Owen Haggerty’s return from deployment in Bahrain, expecting to welcome him home on February 15 after four months away.

But instead of a joyful reunion, she received a call that left her stunned—her 22-year-old son had been arrested and detained in a foreign country.

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The devastating news came via a Royal Navy officer, and from that moment, her world shifted.

Owen Haggerty with his brother Jack and two other siblings. (Picture: Jam Press)

Owen, who joined the Royal Navy in 2021 with hopes of seeing the world, had left for his first overseas posting in October 2024.

Despite initial worries, Kirsty had found comfort in the upbeat messages he sent home.

By all accounts, he had been thriving and enjoying his time abroad.

Kirsty Reynolds. (Picture: Jam Press)

But everything changed in an instant when he found himself caught up in an incident that has now left him behind bars.

According to the family, Owen was attempting to break up a domestic altercation between a couple when he was arrested and later sentenced to three months in prison for assault.

Until March 19, he had been held in a detention facility, awaiting the outcome of his hearing.

His older brother, Jack, 30, had flown out to Bahrain in a bid to bring him back to the UK, only to witness the sentencing first-hand.

Now, the family is grappling with the harsh reality that Owen will remain in a Bahraini prison, a place Kirsty fears could break him mentally and physically.

She’s haunted by the idea of her son being locked up with violent criminals in a country where the legal system is unfamiliar and, in her view, unforgiving.

Owen Haggerty with his mum Kirsty Reynolds and siblings. (Picture: Jam Press)

“I’m terrified he won’t come out alive,” Kirsty said, her voice cracking as she spoke.

“He’s not made for this.

He’s such a positive, happy soul—there’s not a single bad bone in his body.

All I wanted was to welcome him home.

Now I don’t even know if I’ll ever get the chance.”

In the wake of Owen’s imprisonment, Kirsty has already spent more than £4,000 to hire a lawyer in Bahrain.

Owen Haggerty. (Picture: Jam Press)

She’s also in close contact with the Home Office, her local MP, and the Royal Navy, all in a desperate attempt to secure her son’s return.

Despite these efforts, she’s been left feeling helpless and consumed with worry.

She described her shock upon hearing the news of his sentence.

“The colour just drained from my face.

It’s absolutely draining—I haven’t slept, and I can’t process any of it. It feels surreal.”

Kirsty claims the court hearing was shockingly brief, leaving Owen no time to speak or explain his side.

“It was over in seconds,” she said.

“He mentally can’t take much more of this.

His brother said he’s just a shell of himself now.

How much more is he supposed to endure?”

The emotional toll on the family has been immense.

When Kirsty last spoke with her son, he was inconsolable.

“He was in tears.

He told me, ‘I’m trying to stay positive, but I just want to come home.’

Kirsty Reynolds and her son Owen Haggerty. (Picture: Jam Press)

Hearing that—knowing there’s nothing I can do—it’s broken me.

My whole world has shattered.”

As the days pass, Kirsty says she remains in a state of constant fear and exhaustion, doing everything in her power to fight for her son’s release.

But with Owen still imprisoned thousands of miles from home, she is left clinging to hope—and to the belief that justice and compassion will ultimately prevail.

“He’s just a boy,” she says.

“He doesn’t belong in a place like that.”

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SOURCE: Mum of British Royal Navy sailor, 22, jailed while deployed fears he ‘won’t get out alive’ and might ‘never return’ | Need To Know