Royal admits child neglect after being found unconscious

Mahrah Al Nahyan, 32, a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family by marriage, was found unconscious on a west London street on June 13. A barefoot toddler in her care was seen playing near a busy road at the time. Al Nahyan admitted one count of child neglect at Southwark Crown Court.

Incident Details

Passers-by noticed the child unattended and without shoes, playing with a scooter in close proximity to moving traffic. Members of the public intervened to look after the toddler while Al Nahyan remained unconscious for approximately 30 minutes. Upon regaining consciousness, Al Nahyan made a remark to a passer-by about their concern. Footage showed her leaning against railings while an unconscious man lay nearby.

Prosecutor Rio Pahlavanpour stated that drug paraphernalia was discovered in Al Nahyan's bags, although no drugs were found on her person. Her defence counsel, Stephen Vullo KC, indicated that she had not used drugs on the day of the incident but had done so in the preceding days. He told the court that she had made a grave mistake.

Court Outcome and Treatment

Al Nahyan has since been undergoing addiction treatment at the Priory clinic in Woking. She was sentenced to a two-year community order, which includes a rehabilitation requirement, and was fined £6,114. She plans to continue her treatment as a day patient.