Wait goes on for Dubai drug woman

Tracy Wilkinson was prescribed the painkiller for a back injury

A British woman cleared in Dubai of carrying a banned painkiller in her system must wait "four or five days" before knowing if she can fly home.

Codeine, banned in Dubai, was found in Tracy Wilkinson's urine when she was arrested for a passport irregularity.

Mrs Wilkinson, 44, from Balcombe in West Sussex, spent seven weeks in jail before being cleared by a Dubai court.

However, she must now wait for 15 days before she can leave the country in case prosecutors launch an appeal.

Back problems

Campaign Group Fair Trials Abroad, which has been working on Mrs Wilkinson's behalf, said no decision would be made for "four or five days" and she could have to wait the full 15.

Under United Arab Emirates (UAE) law, prosecutors have 15 days to lodge an appeal, but Ms Wilkinson's lawyer had hoped they would speed up the process.

Although codeine is widely-used prescription painkiller in the UK it is banned in the UAE.

She remains in good spirits but clearly today's meeting is a huge disappointment Stephen Jakobi, Fair Trials Abroad

The mother-of-two, a sports osteopath, was found with traces of the sedative temazepam in her system as well as codeine when she was arrested at Dubai Airport two months ago.

She had faced a four-year jail sentence if found guilty and was held in prison before being released on bail on 30 April.

The drugs were prescribed by her GP for back problems following a car accident, and she took them before flying to the United Arab Emirates.

But according to Fair Trials Abroad, during a court hearing on Saturday, official medical records revealed she was also administered the drugs by a police doctor at Dubai airport before she gave a urine sample.

Stephen Jakobi, a spokesman for Fair Trials Abroad, said on Monday: "I have spoken to Tracy today and she has been told it is likely to be four or five days before she's going to be in a position to come home, and it might even be the full 15 days.

"She remains in good spirits but clearly today's meeting is a huge disappointment."