A British woman who accused a senior United Arab Emirates royal of sexually assaulting her has issued a formal claim for damages.
Caitlin McNamara is claiming damages for multiple sexual
assaults and false imprisonment she allegedly suffered at the hands of Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan on 14 February 2020 at a private residence in Abu Dhabi.
Her lawyers said today that she was compelled to take the step after the refusal of the British authorities to prosecute Nahyan, the UAE’s minister for tolerance and coexistence.
In effect, the letter gives the sheikh an opportunity to hold his hands up and potentially offer an out-of-court settlement. The likelihood of that remains an open question.
Civil proceedings will be brought if necessary in the high court in London, according to the law firm Carter-Ruck, which has been engaged by McNamara.
McNamara, who was the curator of the first Hay festival in Abu Dhabi in February 2020, went public with her accusations last year.
She alleges…