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QC to help WA man in Dubai jail

7 February 2009 - Prominent Perth QC Mark Trowell has taken on the case of a Geraldton man held without being charged in a Dubai maximum-security prison since October.

The family of Sean McNeair, who was skippering luxury boats in the Gulf state, said the 34-year-old was arrested after opened bottles of alcohol were found in his Dubai apartment.

But they claim no formal charges have been laid and that Mr McNeair has no idea when the matter will come to court.

His mother, respected Shark Bay Aboriginal leader Helen McNeair, had been trying to raise $20,000 to pay for a lawyer to represent her son when Mr Trowell agreed to investigate the case.

'Sean's very frustrated', Mrs McNeair said.

'He's been there for months and the lawyer he's got has said little to him other than to pray to God.'

Mr McNeair skippered a rock lobster boat from Geraldton to Dubai two years ago after it was bought by a member of the ruling al-Maktoum royal family.

He was then offered a job to stay on in the United Arab Emirates.

On the night he was arrested, police had been going door-to-door investigating complaints that an air-rifle had been fired from a balcony in the apartment block. Mr McNeair says he had nothing to do with it.

Mr Trowell, who has had experience in several international court cases, spoke to Mrs McNeair yesterday afternoon but would not comment on the role he will play.

The family have become frustrated by the lack of information coming out of Dubai and have written to Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith.

Mr Smith would not discuss the case with The West Australian yesterday but he has written to Mrs McNeair.

'The Australian Government is unable to interfere in the United Arab Emirates' judicial process,' Mr Smith's office wrote.

'As the case is yet to come to trial, there is no basis for the Australian Government to make representations to the UAE authorities and we need to await the legal process to take its course.'

In an update from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade yesterday, Mrs McNeair was told a letter had been sent to the public prosecutor in Dubai expressing concerns about her son's case.

'Sean informed us that he had met the human rights representative within the prison and had discussed a number of issues in relation to his case,' the DFAT update said.

Mr McNeair has had several visits from Australian consulate staff in Dubai and appeared to be in good health.

'We've got to just hang in there and see what happens,' Mrs McNeair said. 'This is a completely different legal system and he's getting very discontented because he sees other prisoners come and go for far more serious crimes.'

GARY ADSHEAD

Source: The West Australian

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