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Mother charged with kidnapping her son in Dubai

Steve Boggan
Thursday 14 March 2002 01:00 GMT
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A British woman arrested while trying to snatch her 10-year-old son from his estranged billionaire father was charged with kidnapping by prosecutors in the United Arab Emirates yesterday before being released on bail.

Sarra Fotheringham, 34, who was arrested trying to board a ship for Iraq with her son, Tariq, could face up to three years in prison if found guilty, although the authorities in Dubai made it clear that they regarded the offence as less serious than a kidnapping attempt by a stranger.

Last night Mrs Fotheringham's husband, Neil, 32, a police officer, was flying out to the Gulf to be with his wife. Another Briton, Donya al-Nahi, an Arabic speaker who was arrested with Mrs Fotheringham, was also charged and released on bail.

Her husband, Mahmoud al-Nahi, denied a newspaper report that she had been involved in other kidnappings. "When she went to Dubai last week, it was the first time she had gone abroad to actively try to smuggle anyone home," he said. "In the past, she has offered only advice to families."

The two women were arrested at Port Rashid earlier this week after taking the boy from his school despite the presence of bodyguards hired by his father, the financier Rashid al-Habtoor, 35. Mrs Fotheringham said she became desperate after being refused access to Tariq when Mr Habtoor gained custody of the child in 1999, despite a judge saying he had made "a number of serious mis-statements of fact".

Mr Habtoor denied refusing her access and rejected the Fotheringhams' claims that his son wanted to return to the UK, where he lived until he was eight. "[Tariq] never wanted to go back to her or go back to the UK," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "She's more than welcome any time to come and see him, but under supervision."

Foreign Office consular officials were present at the court hearing. A spokeswoman said the women had to surrender their passports and provide the name of a guarantor.

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