Dubai: Former Australian national football team captain Craig Andrew Moore will be prosecuted for consuming alcohol, a senior prosecutor announced on Wednesday.
"The suspect, Craig Andrew Moore, has been charged with consuming alcohol and referred to the Dubai Misdemeanors Court. No date has been scheduled for the hearing, but we will try to schedule it soon. The suspect is out on bail pending his appearance in court," Chief Prosecutor Sami Al Shamsi, Head of Bur Dubai Prosecution, told Gulf News.
Al Shamsi said in a media statement that Dubai Police referred Moore to the Public Prosecution facing primary charges of consuming liquor, assaulting policemen and refusing to pay a taxi fare.
"Dubai Police handed us the file on Monday. The suspect was facing primary charges of consuming liquor, assaulting a government employee [without specifying whether it was a verbal or physical assault] and refusing to pay taxi fares.
"Prosecutor Ahmad Al Zarouni questioned Moore and heard the statements of the policeman and the taxi driver. The policeman, who was assaulted, and the taxi driver [who complained against Moore] waived their personal rights and dropped their complaints against the former Australian captain. He also paid the taxi fares and the charges were dropped," Al Shamsi added.
Bur Dubai's Chief Prosecutor told Gulf News that Moore was bailed after a passport was placed in the custody of the law enforcement officers. However, Al Shamsi did not specify whether it was Moore's passport or that of a guarantor.
The former central defender, who played in the 2006 and 2010 World Cups, spent most of his professional career with the Scottish club Rangers. He played 52 times for Australia.
Altercation
According to media reports, the 34-year-old retired Socceroo was arrested last Wednesday (September 15) after being involved in an alleged drunken altercation with police.
According to the Federal Penal Code a suspect who consumes alcohol could face a maximum fine of Dh10,000 and/or a maximum two-year imprisonment.
Dubai Police earlier trashed media reports which said Moore was caught driving under the influence of alcohol before he brawled with police.
