Drink-drive actress 'innocent because she consumed alcohol outside UAE'

Star jailed for a month had blood-alcohol content high enough to 'leave a person feeling disorientated and unable to walk properly'.

DUBAI // An Emirati television actress sentenced to a month in jail and a Dh20,000 fine for drink-driving has launched an appeal against her conviction because, she says, she consumed alcohol outside UAE. The 40-year-old star was arrested on May 12 after the luxury car she was driving collided with another vehicle near Dubai International Airport. Last month, she was found guilty of the illegal consumption of alcohol, driving under the influence of alcohol, reckless driving and damage to property. She was also banned from driving for one year.

Records show the actress's blood-alcohol content at the time of her arrest was 242mg/dl, enough to "leave a person feeling disorientated and unable to walk properly". Police were called to the accident in Rashidiya and described her condition as completely intoxicated.The actress yesterday admitted drinking alcohol but denied the other charges. She apologised to Judge Mahmood al Shinawi, but said she had drunk the alcohol because she was under a great deal of stress at the time.

Her lawyer told the court she had drunk the alcohol outside of the UAE and argued that because of that, she had not broken local laws. His statement, however, did not make clear if the actress had consumed alcohol on board an aircraft or prior to boarding a flight to Dubai. The court will issue its verdict next week. A zero tolerance policy is enforced on drink-driving. Traffic police arrested 817 motorists for drink-drive related offences in 2009 across the Emirates.