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Man escapes from police custody ‘to feed his dog’

A British man, 33, has got his jail sentence for escaping from police custody in a hospital reduced from six to one month.

The Court of Misdemeanours reduced the sentence after the defendant’s lawyer contested the verdict on the ground that it was given in absentia. He will be deported after serving his jail term.

During the police interrogation, the defendant, who was in Dubai on a visit visa, claimed that he went from the Rashid Hospital to feed his dog and make sure it was okay. He was being treated at the hospital from cuts and injuries he had from a suicide attempt in October last year. He claimed he did not want to escape the police custody but was worried about his dog.

Defence lawyer Hani Hammouda of Kefah Al Zaabi Office for Legal Consultancy pleaded the court panel to be lenient with the accused considering his good intentions and his conditions which he termed as special.

He claimed that he had a medical condition at his place and lost consciousness. He was in the hospital when woke up, but did not find anyone near. He denied having anything to do with the policeman assigned with guarding him at the time. He also denied that he was tied up. The policeman was originally accused of facilitating the escape of the suspect but the Public Prosecution did not refer him to court. The defendant was fined Dh1,000 for the suicide attempt.

He told the police that he was consuming liquor with his ex-girlfriend when he lost balance and collapsed. He hurt himself with broken candle glass on the floor. He also claimed that the television set fell down and its glass hurt him. When asked about the cuts in his hands he confessed that he used a broken glass to hurt himself to feel better.

He claimed that it was a usual custom in the area he hailed from. He also said he did it to relax whenever he felt hysterical. The verdict has been appealed at the Court of Appeal.— mary@khaleejtimes.com