Drunk man who told officers not to arrest him because he is British is jailed

The salesman and his friend will each spend six months in prison, followed by deportation

A man who threatened police not to arrest him because he was British has been sentenced to six months in jail by Dubai Criminal Court.

Police were called to Al Raffa area at 3.30am on March 22, in response to a report about two drunk people — a British salesman, 42, and a Vietnamese woman, 29 — causing a disturbance.

"They were causing chaos and staggering while the male accused was harassing passers-by," said an Emirati officer, 31.
The policeman approached the pair and told them to take a taxi home but the salesman refused and began screaming at him.
"I am British. Look what will happen to you. You don't know who I am. One call and you will see what would happen. Dubai Police is in my pocket," the accused told the policeman.
The policeman's superior officer told him to arrest the accused but the salesman resisted and began shoving and kicking him. His friend punched the officer and hit him with her handbag.

The two policemen restrained the man and forced him into the patrol vehicle but the woman blocked their path to stop them driving away.

"We called for a female patrol car which arrived and arrested the woman," the second policeman said in court records.
During prosecution questioning, the two accused each said they were too drunk to recall what happened.
In court last September, they denied charges of consuming alcohol without a licence, assaulting and threatening officers.
They were each sentenced to six months in prison to be followed by deportation.