British twin sisters jailed for attack on Dubai police officer after fracas outside nightclub
British twin sisters have been convicted of assaulting a female police officer outside a Dubai nightclub.
Alena and Sasha Parker, 37, Belarus-born UK passport holders who worked for a law firm in the city, punched and scratched the officer on the ground outside a hotel in Barsha Heights.
The court heard that the incident began when Alena Parker hurt her hand while on a night out on August 4 last year. An ambulance was called to treat her but the sisters’ behaviour got out of hand, Dubai Criminal Court was told.
Police were called, and at one point Alena slammed the ambulance door on the paramedic’s hand.
“She was sitting inside the ambulance when we got there and the second one was standing next to the ambulance and screaming,” an Emirati police officer said.
The paramedic said he did not wish to press charges but police moved to detain both sisters, who were said to be drunk, but they resisted arrest.
“We were ordered to handcuff them and take them in,” the police officer said. “While in the car, they both started screaming and banging on the windows.”
When they arrived at the police station, he left the women in the car with a colleague and a policewoman.
“I went to get another set of handcuffs because the ones we used were too big, but when I returned I found both women on top of the policewoman, assaulting her,” he said.
The Emirati policewoman told prosecutors that she was caught off guard and thrown to the ground.
“It was surprising because I did nothing to them nor did I even speak to them,” she said. “They threw me to the ground, injuring my head and back, sat on top of me, kicked me and hit me all over my body.
“One of them scratched me hard on my right arm with her long nails.”
She said the women were restrained and taken to the criminal laboratory, where they struggled and insulted her.
The policewoman was taken to hospital for treatment, while the sisters were taken into custody.
At Dubai Criminal Court yesterday, the women were sentenced to six months in prison on charges of resisting arrest, physical assault and issuing threats.
Their prison time will be followed by deportation.
They can appeal against their sentences.