A view of Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai. ARCHIVE

A Dubai court has overturned a jail sentence handed to an Asian man who was caught drunk driving without a valid licence on Sheikh Zayed Road. The Dubai Court of Appeal replaced the one-month jail term earlier issued by the Court of First Instance with a Dh3,000 fine, offering a more lenient sentence. The case stemmed from an incident in October last year when police stopped the man for suspected reckless driving. Officers noticed he was slurring his speech and conducted a breathalyser test, which confirmed he was under the influence of alcohol. A police officer testified that when asked to present his driving licence, the defendant admitted he had none and had taken a friend’s vehicle without their knowledge. "I asked him for his driver’s licence, but he admitted he didn’t have one. He said he drove the vehicle without the owner’s knowledge," the officer said in court. Police found no illegal substances in the vehicle. During interrogation, the man confessed that he had consumed alcoholic beverages before deciding to drive to a mall in the Marina area. Following the appeal, the court deemed a financial penalty more appropriate than jail time. ICA/Expat Media ALSO READ: Two cyclists caught illegally riding bikes on Sheikh Zayed Road
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