wow!
A woman facing up to four years in a Dubai jail for having codeine in her urine is due to be sentenced on Sunday.
Tracy Wilkinson, 44, of Balcombe, West Sussex, tested positive for the drug which is banned in Dubai but was legally prescribed by her UK GP.
The drug was found in a sample taken while she was in custody in the United Arab Emirates over a passport error.
Fair Trials Abroad allege she was given the painkiller by a UAE police doctor because she became agitated in custody.
The case was adjourned at a hearing on Saturday, her ex-husband said.
Released on bail
Ms Wilkinson, a sports osteopath, was arrested in Dubai airport two months ago for an irregularity on her passport.
She spent eight weeks in prison despite claiming the drug had been prescribed, and was released on bail last week.
Her ex-husband Robin Wilkinson said on Saturday that he had spoken to the British Embassy in Dubai and that she had appeared in court.
It is just in the lap of the gods
Robin Wilkinson
Ex-husband
Mr Wilkinson, 50, of Handcross, West Sussex, said: "As far as I understand it, the judge has got all the papers and he will pass judgement tomorrow.
"She won't need to appear but her lawyer will.
"Fingers crossed he will pass the judgement that will be what we want."
He said they were hoping the judge would give Ms Wilkinson her passport back, allow her to return home, and waive a rule allowing the authorities to retain a defendant's passport for 15 days in case an appeal is launched, known as the 'cooling-off period'.
The retired police officer, who has been in Dubai supporting his ex-wife, said: "It is just in the lap of the gods."
'It's mind-blowing'
Fair Trials Abroad spokesman Stephen Jakobi said on Saturday: "The illegal medication that she took was in fact medication prescribed when she was in police custody when she was very agitated.
"They first gave her medication, then they tested her for it, then they flung her in jail.
"This is what was proven in court today.
"It's daft. It's taken almost three months to sort. It's mind-blowing and it's astonishing. It was a 'Catch-22' situation."
He said he expected the charges to be dropped when the case is heard again on Sunday.
Although Ms Wilkinson was not taking medication when on holiday in Dubai, she is thought to have taken some before she left the UK, which is understood to be why she made the claims.
Why would codeine be banned anyway?
― Arachnoid, Sunday, 8 May 2005 04:04 (twenty-one years ago)
A British woman who faced four years in a Dubai jail for having codeine in her system has been acquitted.
Tracy Wilkinson, 44, of Balcombe, West Sussex, tested positive for the drug, which is banned in Dubai but was legally prescribed by her UK GP.
The drug was found in a urine sample while she was in custody in the United Arab Emirates over a passport error.
A British Embassy spokeswoman in Dubai confirmed on Sunday that she has been cleared of any wrongdoing.
Wonderful news
"We cannot go into specific details about the case, but we can confirm that Ms Wilkinson was found not guilty," she added.
Ms Wilkinson did not appear in court, but her lawyer attended the hearing.
Her ex-husband, Robin Wilkinson, was pleased with the outcome and said: "It's wonderful news. She's very pleased and very relieved but she won't be fully relieved until she's back on home soil.
"They (the authorities) now need, tomorrow, to go to the prosecutor's office to see whether there's any chance that they may waive the 15-day cooling-off period (during which time they have the opportunity to appeal).
"We're hoping that they will say they will waive that and she'll be able to get her passport back and be home as soon as possible."
― Arachnoid, Sunday, 8 May 2005 13:12 (twenty-one years ago)
eight years pass...