Dubai: Investigations continue into the death of British citizen Lee Bradley Brown who died in Dubai in police custody last week, Dubai’s Attorney General Essam Al Humaidan said on Monday.
He said the Public Prosecution has listened to the testimony of the Burj Al Arab hotel’s female housekeeper, who was allegedly assaulted by Brown before his arrest by Dubai Police.
According to a statement from the Dubai Government’s Media Office, the woman said in her testimony that she went to a suite on the upper floors of the hotel to clean it and saw the British man who shouted at her, insulted her, grabbed her by the neck and pushed and dragged her through the corridor before trying to throw her out of a window.
Screamed
She said she held on tightly to a pillar and screamed, and her colleagues rushed to her rescue, managing to free her from Brown’s hands. She said she sustained bruises on her back, arms and chin.
The Public Prosecution also listened to a waiter’s testimony who said he heard a scream when he was clearing a room in the hotel. He came out of the room to see Brown bent over and grabbing the hair of the woman, who was on the floor and crying bitterly, he added.
Violent mood
The waiter also said Brown was in a violent mood and was physically resisting some of the hotel staff who had intervened to calm down his “abnormally hysterical behaviour”.
The waiter said they asked Brown to calm down but he tried to jump off a window before they grabbed and controlled him. They later handed him over to a police patrol but he was still acting outrageously and violently.
The Public Prosecution also listened to testimonies from police personnel who said Brown was using abusive language and acting violently.
He also damaged public property when they were taking him to the Public Prosecution building for investigation, they said.
Hit his head against a wall
According to police, Brown hit his head against a wall and injured his nose. He also injured his forehead while police were trying to control him and later fell down while resisting arrest.
Al Humaidan said the autopsy showed bruises on different parts of the deceased’s body: the left side of the forehead, the nose, upper right arm, foot, palm, right eyebrow and lower jaw.
The forensic report concluded the injuries on the deceased’s body resulted from collisions with solid objects, including falls on a hard floor. The report says Brown sustained these injuries four or five days prior to his death.
Choked on his own vomit
The report also attributed Brown’s death to asphyxia, saying the deceased choked on his own vomit.
Al Humaidan said the Public Prosecution would take seriously any allegations of abuse of authority or torture because no one was above the law.
The Public Prosecution also met with Brown’s family and permitted them to see the body and receive his personal belongings.
