Dubai jails Britons for 4 years on drug charges

A Dubai court yesterday sentenced three Britons to four years in jail on drug charges, a decision that may overshadow a visit to Britain by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) president because of allegations the defendants were tortured.

The three were convicted a day after British prime minister David Cameron voiced concern about the allegations and his spokes- man said the case would be on the agenda of his talks this week with president Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan.

Grant Cameron, Karl Williams, and Suneet Jeerh, all in their 20s, were arrested in Jul 2012 during a holiday in the UAE. Police said they had found synthetic cannabis in their hire car.

All three had pleaded not guilty to charges of possessing and intending to sell illegal drugs and said police had subjected them to beatings and threatened them with guns — allegations the police deny.

Judge Ali Attiyah Saad found the three guilty in Dubai Criminal Court and sentenced them to four years in jail each.

Defence lawyer Issa bin- Haider said the sentences indicated the court had dropped the charge of intent to sell illegal drugs, which would have carried a more severe punishment.

Abdel-Hamid Mahdi, who represents Grant Cameron, plans to appeal against the sentence, asking for clemency. It is common for convicts to be pardoned during UAE national and religious holidays.

Mr Cameron’s spokesman said the case would feature in his talks with Sheikh Khalifa, due to arrive today.