Abu Dhabi orders four to perform community service for reckless driving

ABU DHABI // Four people have been ordered to work as petrol station attendants or gardeners as community service for reckless driving.

The Abu Dhabi Public Prosecution ordered two Emiratis to work as petrol station attendants for three months and two others, also Emiratis, as gardeners for two to three months.

During their community service, employers will present monthly reports to the prosecution about the offenders’ performance and commitment.

If reports show they are not cooperative or committed, the public prosecution can request their imprisonment for the same amount of time that was allocated for community service.

The move, announced by the prosecution on Monday, comes after changes to the federal penal code that will allow community service to be a more common punishment for crimes.

A court convicts offenders and sentences them to perform community service, the type of which is chosen by the prosecution.

Mohammed Al Shibi, head of the Abu Dhabi Prosecutions Department, said replacing jail time with community service for minor offences is more productive for society than locking offenders behind bars.

“We all know how destructive jail can be, and not only for the offender, but for his family too,” Mr Al Shibi said.

Many discover they have been terminated from their jobs or disowned by their families.

“Some families refuse to pick up their son or daughter after they have been released from jail, so it is like we have destroyed him,” he said.

However, with community service, the offender will not have a criminal record.

hdajani@thenational.ae