Flight rampage man accused of drug use | Rest of the world

Flight rampage man accused of drug use

ONE of the Jupiter Mines executives convicted of sexual harassment charges in the United Arab Emirates may have had traces of cocaine and cannabis in his system, according to drug tests presented to a court in Abu Dhabi.

The charges arose from an incident aboard an Etihad Airways flight from Sydney to Abu Dhabi on April 26.

Jeremy Snaith, who spent 25 days in al-Wathba prison, outside Abu Dhabi, was charged with unlawful consumption of cocaine and hashish. But Snaith's defence team says it is a case of mistaken identity.

Snaith was convicted of sexual harassment and given a three-month jail sentence, suspended for three years.

Another Jupiter Mines director, David Evans, was sentenced to a year's jail, suspended for three years.

Both directors were in police custody yesterday, awaiting official paperwork to be completed before their release.

A third Australian, William Sergent, was found to have had the sedative drug temazepam, commonly prescribed as a sleeping pill, in his system, but was acquitted of any wrongdoing.

The English-language newspaper the Khaleej Times reported that "traces of both [cocaine and hashish] were returned in a positive drugs test" of Snaith, according to evidence presented in court. The judges determined Snaith's positive drug test was the result of consumption "prior to his departure to the UAE".

A representative for Snaith, Sean Mulcahy, said reports that his client had drugs in his system were "absolute rubbish".

"The sample submitted to court had a different number than the original sample taken from Mr Snaith," he said. "It was our submission that this sample was incorrect, that the wrong drug sample had been presented, that there had been a mix-up. In the end, the court ruled that the drug offences were outside its jurisdiction, and there was no conviction at all on drug charges.

"Certainly Mr Snaith makes it clear that he never took cocaine or marijuana."

Both Snaith and Mr Sargent were jailed on May 10.

The lead lawyer for the two executives, Ross Hill, said that his clients had ultimately been convicted of drinking alcohol without a permit.

Mr Mulcahylambasted Etihad.

"Be warned - don't fly Etihad unless you have a permit to drink alcohol because you might end up in an Abu Dhabi prison like these men," he said.

Mr Hill told ABC radio his clients were not drunk, but said they had been convicted of drinking "some warm champagne" served by the airline.

"Even assuming that they were drinking, they would've been no more than .06, and in Australia you can nearly drive your car legally. So there was no alcohol factor involved," Mr Hill said.

In court it was also alleged that the flight crew considered diverting the aircraft to resolve the situation.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/