British seamen fined for consuming alcohol

Tuesday, Mar 26, 2013

Dubai: Two British Royal Navy seamen landed in trouble after they prevented undercover policemen from arresting prostitutes who eventually ran away from the scene.

An Emirati officer said he realised that the two British men, 26-year-old A.G. and 20-year-old J.B., were drunk when they attacked him and his partner and tried to help the prostitutes escape.

Prosecution records identified A.G. and J.B. as visitors.

The Dubai Misdemeanour Court on Tuesday fined each of them Dh2,000 in absentia for consuming liquor.

The Emirati police officer, W.A., alleged that the Britons attacked him and his partner at around 4am when they detained the prostitutes at Mankhool Area on November 25.

“The Britons hindered us and tried to prevent us from carrying out our duty and arresting the prostitutes. Although I presented my police ID and explained the nature of my job the two men attacked me. We took the two men to the police station,” W.A. claimed during questioning.

Prosecutors accused the defendants of consuming liquor and referred them to court.

It is believed that the Britons were not charged with assaulting and offending the policemen after obtaining a waiver and reconciling with them.

J.B. said he did not curse or offend the policeman during prosecution questioning.

He stated: “I consumed nearly 15 drinks on the vessel before A.G. and I went to watch a boxing match in a pub… and I consumed there as well. While we were next to a hotel looking for a restaurant, we spotted a civilian stalking a European woman. We intervened wanting to check out what was happening, and they turned out to be plain-clothes policemen who handcuffed us.”

A.G. testified that he consumed five drinks on the vessel and accompanied J.B. to the pub to watch a boxing game.

“We spotted a civilian grabbing a Romanian woman near a hotel. I grabbed him by the back of his neck and tried to free her. Other men, who turned out to be plain-clothes policemen, interfered and presented their police IDs. We were arrested and escorted to a police station,” claimed A.G.

The Britons did not show up at courtroom 11 where they were scheduled to be prosecuted on Tuesday.

By Bassam Zaza Legal and Court ?Correspondent