European appeals 4-year jail over airport crime

A European man has appealed a court sentence to jail him for four years after he was convicted of taking drugs, getting drunk and abusing two employees at Abu Dhabi airport, a newspaper reported on Monday.

The unnamed man of Jamaican origin was sentenced by a criminal court in the capital last month after he was charged with taking drugs, drunkenness in a public place and throwing liquor at two employees after swearing at them.

His defence lawyer told the appeals court on Sunday that his client is innocent and asked the judge to see airport security cameras.

The lawyer said the film shot by those cameras did not show any liquor bottle and that the defendant was in an airport area where drinking is allowed.

“There were no witnesses to the incident except the two who were involved in the argument with my client,” the lawyer said.

The Arabic language daily Alittihad said hearings were adjourned but it did not mention a date.