A member of Abu Dhabi’s royal family was found collapsed in the street after taking drugs while responsible for the care of a three-year-old child, a court was told.
Mahrah Al Nahyan, 32, was discovered slumped against railings near an unconscious man after using cocaine, while a barefoot toddler was playing beside a busy road.
Concerned members of the public took care of the child until police arrived at the scene in west London.
Al Nahyan reportedly remained unresponsive for around 30 minutes. After waking, she allegedly reacted erratically and shouted: “This is not a slaughterhouse, why do you care so much? Why are you so worried?”
She pleaded guilty to one count of child neglect at Southwark Crown Court yesterday.
The court heard that she has been receiving treatment for drug addiction at the Priory centre in Woking, Surrey, since the incident in June.
One witness filmed Al Nahyan lying on the pavement beside the child’s toys, including a scooter and a toy plane.
She is connected to Abu Dhabi’s ruling royal family through marriage.
Mahrah Al Nahyan at Southwark Crown Court, where she admitted a count of child neglect
The family is regarded as one of the wealthiest and most influential ruling dynasties in the world.
Its estimated wealth exceeds £250 billion, with interests spanning global investments and oil reserves.
Prosecutor Rio Pahlavanpour said passersby had “noticed the child was unattended, without shoes on the street with a scooter”, prompting members of the public to intervene because the child appeared to be close to moving traffic.
He said Al Nahyan responded after being woken by officers, repeating: “This is not a slaughterhouse, why do you care so much? Why are you so worried?”
Police later found drug-related paraphernalia during a search, although no illegal substances were recovered, The Times reported.
CONTINUE READING: Steve Hilton Campaigns at Los Angeles’ MacArthur Park to Address California Homelessness Crisis
Defending, Stephen Vullo KC said Al Nahyan had stopped taking drugs after entering the Priory in July and had demonstrated “significant remorse and resolve to overcome her addiction”.
He told the court that she had not used drugs on the day of the incident, but was extremely tired after taking cocaine in the preceding days.
“The immediate future is she intends to complete all of the steps of a three-month programme which will come to an end at the end of this month,” he said.
“Her plan after that is to rent a property in the Guildford area and become a day patient there, where she will attend Narcotics Anonymous.”
Al Nahyan was found unconscious in the street by concerned members of the public in June
A man was also found nearby, sprawled beside railings and a bin in west London
‘She made a grave mistake that day and she knows it.’
Mr Justice Johnson KC sentenced Al Nahyan to a two-year community order with a rehabilitation requirement.
The judge also fined her £5,000 and ordered her to pay costs of £1,000 after hearing she has an allowance of £8,000 a month.
He said: ‘By leaving [the child] to play barefoot in the street while under the influence of drugs, you showed a recklessness and disregard for [the child’s] safety.
‘On one occasion they ran towards the road while chasing a piece of paper until a member of the public contained [the child].
‘But for the intervention of strangers there was a serious risk they would be seriously injured or worse. They could have run away, become lost.
‘They could have been taken or harmed by a stranger and could have become distressed seeing you and your friend unconscious in the street.’