Drunk Briton smashed statue at Atlantis hotel, Dubai court hears

DUBAI // A Briton who was in court last year for illegally drinking alcohol, found himself before a judge again after he broke a statue in a nightclub while drunk.

On April 25, defendant, J B, 36, was celebrating a friend’s birthday at a club on Palm Jumeirah before going to another venue at Atlantis, the Palm.

After drinking beer, vodka, champagne and cocktails, he was seen by hotel security to be in a drunken state.

Before being restrained, he smashed a statue worth Dh3,000.

Security guard M S, 29, told the Court of Misdemeanours he received a call that a drunk customer had broken a statue.

He tried to calm him down then asked for his ID card. J B refused and then swore at him.

“I asked him to leave but he wouldn’t so I restrained him, but my boss came and asked me to let him go,” the guard said

“As I did, the defendant punched me in the face and then kicked me on my left leg, before he snatched my iPhone and broke it into pieces.”

Another security guard, B E, 26, testified that J B had refused to show his Emirates ID.

“He told me he had a military ID and he could send us all to jail.”

J B said he could not remember anything about the incident. He was charged with drinking alcohol and fined Dh2,000.