Abu Dhabi Royal Admitted to Child Neglect After Cocaine Binge
Princess Mahrah Al Nahyan sentenced to community order after being found in a collapsed state with a young child nearby.
Mahrah Al Nahyan, a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family, has been sentenced to a two-year community order after admitting to child neglect. The 32-year-old was found slumped on a street in Kensington, London, in June, with a three-year-old child in her care playing close to a busy road.
Al Nahyan had reportedly spent 48 hours in a £200-a-night Airbnb in Kensington, consuming drugs, including cocaine, with a male companion. Witnesses described hearing loud music and shouting from the property. One neighbor saw Al Nahyan slumped on the pavement, shoeless, and unresponsive, while a man lay unconscious nearby. Members of the public intervened to care for the unattended child until police arrived.
When she regained consciousness, Al Nahyan reportedly behaved erratically and questioned the concern shown by passersby and authorities. Prosecutors stated that upon searching her, drug paraphernalia was found, though no illicit substances were present.
At Southwark Crown Court, Al Nahyan pleaded guilty to one count of child neglect. Her defense stated that she had been undergoing drug addiction treatment at the Priory centre in Woking, Surrey, since the incident and had not used drugs on the day of the offense, though she had taken cocaine in the preceding days. Her legal counsel indicated her intention to complete a three-month program and continue with outpatient treatment, including attending Narcotics Anonymous.
Mr. Justice Johnson KC, sentencing Al Nahyan, noted her recklessness and disregard for the child's safety. He highlighted the serious risk the child faced, including potential injury, abduction, or distress from witnessing the adults' state. The judge fined her £5,000 and ordered her to pay £1,000 in costs, acknowledging her monthly allowance of £8,000.
Al Nahyan's permanent residence is a £1.6 million penthouse apartment in Wandsworth, south London. The property was formerly owned by Andy Taylor, guitarist for the band Duran Duran, and has a history that includes serving as an asylum for orphaned girls and a military hospital during World War I.