A young Saudi tourist who cursed police officers at a popular shopping centre and assaulted them during a car park fracas has appealed against his one-year jail sentence.
The 23-year-old kicked an officer in the chest and was found guilty at the High Criminal Court of inflicting mild injuries on a Public Security forces member.
The across-the-causeway visitor took to the Supreme Criminal Appeals Court to appeal the ruling, which yesterday set November 27 as the decision date.
The court heard that the appellant was on a day trip to Bahrain with a group of friends, when a conflict broke out between them and the authorities at City Centre Bahrain.
He admitted to yelling at the two officers but denied assaulting them. “I did raise my voice at the policemen but I didn’t insult their honour,” he claimed.
Police said they had received a report about a group of people causing trouble in the mall’s car parking area and went to investigate.
Two of those involved were apprehended and placed in a police car, prosecution hearings heard, and the appellant then approached it.
“We asked him to show us identification but he refused to co-operate, started yelling and opened the door of the patrol vehicle,” the officers said in a statement.
A physical struggle ensued and the senior policemen, aged 48 and 32, said that the man pushed them ‘with great force.’
The Saudi tried to flee the scene but the officers managed to grab him by the arms. He scratched at them and the police had to resort to using pepper spray to subdue him.
Despite successfully getting the appellant into their patrol car, he resisted again and kicked the corporal in the middle of his chest.
“I didn’t mean to kick the policeman,” the appellant earlier testified, and stated that he was simply upset at seeing his friends arrested.
“I said no, because I didn’t like it,” the suspect said in response to being asked why he didn’t present his ID to the police. The appellant was taken to Exhibition Road Police Station and later charged.
Security footage captured of the incident confirmed the police account, court documents added.
Photographs of the injuries sustained by the officers during the incident were attached in the court files, along with medical reports. One complained of chest pains and the other suffered mild joint pain.
zainab@gdnmedia.bh
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