Mahra Al Nahyan, a 32-year-old member of Abu Dhabi's ruling dynasty by marriage, pleaded guilty to neglecting a child at Southwark Crown Court. The case relates to an incident in June in west London in which she was found unconscious next to a railing, with a man in the same condition nearby.
Al Nahyan was supposed to be looking after a three-year-old child at the time. Prosecutor Rio Pahlavanpour told the court that passersby noticed the child barefoot and unattended in dangerous proximity to a busy road. At one point, it headed towards the street while chasing a piece of paper, but was stopped by bystanders.
“If it had not been for the intervention of strangers, there was a serious risk that the child would have been seriously injured or worse“, said Judge Johnson Case.Al Nahyan remained unconscious for about 30 minutes after the police arrived. According to the prosecution, after regaining consciousness, she reacted inappropriately and asked: “This is not a slaughterhouse, why do you care so much? Why are you so worried?“
It was stated in the courtroom that she had used cocaine in the days before the incident. A search found drug paraphernalia, but not the substances themselves. The defense stressed that Al Nahyan had not taken drugs on the day of the incident, but was severely exhausted after using in the previous days.
Lawyer Stephen Vullo said that his client had stopped taking drugs since she entered the Priory clinic in Woking, Surrey, in July. According to him, she had shown "deep remorse and a strong determination to overcome her addiction".
Al Nahyan is due to complete a three-month program at the end of October. After that, she plans to rent a flat in the Guildford area and continue treatment as a day patient.
Judge Johnson Case imposed two years of community supervision with a rehabilitation requirement. She must also pay a fine of 5,000 pounds, as well as 1,000 pounds in court costs. The court heard that Al Nahyan receives a monthly maintenance payment of £8,000.
“By leaving the child to play barefoot in the street while you were under the influence of drugs, you showed complete irresponsibility and disregard for his safety“, the judge said.
Sources: vesti.bg