Drug addict bites Dubai cop's hand, gets acquitted on appeal

Dubai - Prosecutors accused him of physically assaulting an on-duty police officer and taking drugs.

A 42-year-old drug addict, accused of assaulting an on-duty police lieutenant who was trying to take him into custody, has had his five-year prison sentence overturned on appeal.
According to public prosecution records, the Filipino man had taken two types of drugs when he bit the hand of the anti-narcotics police lieutenant and slapped his other hand on July 4, last year. A case was registered at Bur Dubai police station.
Prosecutors accused him of physically assaulting an on-duty police officer and taking drugs.
The Court of First Instance found him guilty of the charge in February and sentenced him to five years in jail. It ordered his deportation after serving his jail time and paying a Dh20,000 fine. The court referred him to the Dubai Court of Misdemeanors on a drug charge.
The Court of Appeals reversed the primary ruling and acquitted him of the assault charge. It upheld the lower court's order on the drug charge.
The lieutenant said they arrested the defendant around 4pm outside the building where he stayed in Al Quoz. "The arrest came after another man, who was referred to the Court of Misdemeanors, confessed during interrogation that he had got crystal meth from him."
The officer recounted how the defendant put up a fierce resistance and tried to escape. "The accused bit my right hand fingers and slapped my left hand. He was brought under control. No drugs were found on him or after the search of his place. He was taken to the narcotics department and then referred to the crime lab to give a urine sample," the lieutenant told the public prosecution investigator.
The crime lab report showed the defendant's urine sample tested positive for crystal meth and amphetamine.
The lieutenant got a medical report for the injuries he sustained due to the incident and it was enclosed to the case file. 
The new ruling may be contested by the public prosecution at the Court of Cassation.
mary@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai