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29 March 2024

Hearing adjourned in Kerry Winter case

Published
By Eman Al Baik

The Dubai Appeal Court has adjourned the case of Briton Mark Arnold who was given a 15-year jail term for murdering his South African ex-girlfriend Kerry Winter, 36, to August 22 for his defence lawyer to submit a memorandum in reply to the victim’s family lawyer.

Yousef Khalifa Hammad, Arnold’s defence lawyer, told Emirates 24|7 over the phone that even if the victim’s family lawyer was awarded a “blood guardian” status, this does not permit him to make any interventions.
 
“He [Hussain Al Jaziri, victim’s family lawyer] can just attend the hearings, but has no right to intervene or make any requests. According to the proceedings and the defence memorandums, the court shall make its final say in the case. Only after that and if the verdict was increased to death penalty, the victim’s family can pardon the accused or ask for executing the sentence,” he said.
 
The Dubai Prosecution and the victim’s family have appealed the First Instance Court verdict issued on June 7.
 
The prosecutors and the family are seeking death penalty for Arnold, 43, a company director, on charges of premeditated murder.
 
During the last hearing, the family applied for 'blood guardian' status, which would give them the right to accept or reject the death penalty if it were imposed. And, Arnold’s defence lawyer, Hammad, has appealed the verdict asking for an acquittal.
 
The Court of First Instance had also ordered deportation of Arnold after he served his jail term, and transferred the civil case filed by the victim’s brother to the Civil Court.