POLICE DENY BEATING BRITONS IN CUSTODY

Reports that British defendants standing trial on drugs charges in the
United Arab Emirates were beaten in police custody have been denied by
officials.

Major Ahmed Isa of the anti-narcotics division at Ras al-Khaimah police
told a court on Sunday that all the defendants made their statements to
police willingly and under no duress.

In a written statement, 25-year-old defendant Daniel Mallouf claimed he was
beaten by police and Stacey Simpson, 28, also said he was beaten before he
was handed over to the prosecution.

The defendants - five Britons, two Australians and one Lebanese - have all
been charged with drug-related offences ranging from trafficking, dealing,
possession and use.

The other defendants are Britons Anne Kidd, 32; Katherine Jenkins, 30, an
Emirates Airlines flight attendant; Anna Hamilton, 22; Lebanese Abdul Hamid
Dandashi, 25, and Australian Heidi De Boer, 24.

An eighth defendant, Gilbert Bilal, 24, was convicted on 13 March of drug
trafficking and sentenced to life in prison.

The hearing was adjourned until 3 April.

Mr Bilal told the Ras al-Khaimah Sharia Court about the circumstances
surrounding the arrest of Abdul Hanif Damdashi in Ras al-Khaimah Emirate
last October.

Police said it was his arrest and subsequent questioning which led to the
others being detained.

The case is being heard in the Sharia court in the traditional and
conservative emirate of Ras al Khaimah.

Anna Bartlett, 22, from Southend on Sea, Essex, admits importing cocaine
and hashish but denies any intent to use, sell or trade them.

Simpson and his girlfriend Anne Kidd, both from Leeds, deny collaborating
with Ms Bartlett to import cocaine and hashish.

Mr Simpson also denies possessing, selling and using cocaine, hashish and
other tablets.

Ms Kidd denies possessing and using cocaine, methadone and morphine.

Stewardess Katherine Jenkins, from Neath in South Wales, denies possessing
cocaine.

Mr Mallouf - a Londoner of Lebanese origin - admits using hashish but
denies possessing and selling hashish and cocaine.

False ceiling

Australian defendant Heidi Dabour denies charges of cocaine possession and use.

Dandashi also denies charges of using drugs.

Last week, the court heard Ms Jenkins claim she had found drugs in a
cigarette packet at her home in Dubai after Heidi Deboer had visited her.

She said she was frightened and suspicious of what she had found and so hid
the drugs in the false ceiling of the gym toilet at her apartment block.