Drunk tourist headbutts sergeant and beats another

Suspect misses court hearing, to be sentenced in absentia

Legal and Court Correspondent

Aholidaymaker has been accused of getting drunk and then headbutting a police sergeant and beating another when they tried to handcuff him outside a hotel at Jumeirah Beach Residence.

A Dubai Police patrol team was dispatched to the Jumeirah Beach Residence [JBR] area after a European tourist had been reported to be drunk in front of a hotel in May.

Once the patrol team reached JBR, two police sergeants spotted a 26-year-old British holidaymaker drunk in front of the hotel.

When the sergeants tried to take the Briton inside a police station, he headbutted one of them on his nose and punched the other on his head.

The suspect was handcuffed and taken to the police station.

Prosecutors accused the suspect of consuming liquor and assaulting two police sergeants.

According to the charge sheet, prosecutors said the two officers were admitted to hospital for treatment.

The suspect failed to appear before the Dubai Court of First Instance where he was scheduled to enter his plea yesterday.

Presiding judge Arafa Mohammad

The suspect was cited as admitting to police interrogators and prosecutors that he did not remember what had happened because he was under the influence of liquor.

will sentence the Briton in absentia on July 25.

The police sergeant who was headbutted told prosecutors that they were alerted about a drunk tourist at 3am at JBR.

“We headed to the location and spotted a European person. He turned out to be the British suspect, who did not seem to be in a normal condition.

After obtaining his personal information, we handcuffed him, put him in the police car and drove him to the station,” the sergeant testified to prosecutors.

“While taking him out of the patrol vehicle, he headbutted me on my nose and beat my coworker on his head. However, we restrained him and took him inside the station,” he added.

The Briton was cited as admitting to police interrogators and prosecutors that he consumed liquor but did not remember what had happened because he was under the influence of alcohol.