Briton cleared over pool death in Dubai

A BRITISH man has been acquitted in a Dubai court of the manslaughter of a female friend in March, his solicitor said yesterday.

Duncan Alexander, who is employed by the Emirates Racing Association as a steward's secretary, was charged after Kerry Blackwell's body was found in a swimming pool. Her neck was broken.

A statement released by his solicitor, David Reynolds, said: "Having regard to the overwhelming evidence in favour of Mr Alexander's defence, the court agreed that he had no case to answer and the action was dismissed." Mr Alexander, 29, had claimed Ms Blackwell, 30, a former Miss New Zealand who was working as a bloodstock manager, died accidentally after diving into the shallow end of the pool at the end of an evening out with him and four friends.