Dubai: A father pleaded to a court on Thursday to refer his 25-year-old daughter, who’s accused of consuming hashish, to a psychological expert to treat her bipolar disorder.

The British woman, S.S., denied the charged of possessing and consuming hashish when she entered a not guilty plea before the Dubai Court of First Instance on Thursday.

“My daughter has been suffering from bipolar disorder for 10 years now. A medical committee examined her for 20 minutes only and surprisingly decided that she was legally responsible for possessing and using drugs. She is sick and I ask the court to refer her to a psychological expert for observation and treatment,” her father told presiding judge Ezzat Abdul Lat.

“I did not possess or consume drugs,” said the woman when she defended herself in courtroom three.

An anti-narcotics police lieutenant testified to prosecutors that the Briton was arrested at her residence in Palm Jumeirah following an informant’s tip off on February 23.

Her lawyer told the court: “She took hashish for medical purposes … she suffers [from] a serious illness [bipolar disorder] and she’s been prescribed that drug as a replacement medicine. A medical committee examined her and we are ready to provide the court with the required scientific reports to confirm that she used hashish as a herbal treatment for her illness.”

Permission to talk

When presiding judge Abdul Lat was adjourning the case to hear prosecution witnesses on May 15, the woman’s father was seen approaching the bench and requesting permission to talk.

“Sir my daughter has been in detention for two months and she is very ill… she has suffered emotional pressures since her childhood. She also suffered complicated emotional issues for long periods. Doctors prescribed to her herbs as a medication to replace the chemical medicines. I totally reject the medical committee’s findings … is it logical that she’s been sick for 10 years and the committee examined her for 20 minutes!” contended the father.

The judge then stopped the father from talking and adjourned the case to hear prosecution witnesses.