A British woman who alleges she was the victim of a serious sexual assault by a senior Emirati royal while working on the launch of the Hay literary festival in Abu Dhabi has been interviewed by Scotland Yard.
Caitlin McNamara, 32, claims she was attacked by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, 69, the minister of tolerance in the United Arab Emirates cabinet and a member of Abu Dhabi’s ruling family.
The alleged assault took place on Valentine’s Day this year at a remote private island villa where McNamara thought she had been summoned to discuss preparations for the inaugural Hay Festival Abu Dhabi.
The sheikh denies any wrongdoing and said this weekend that he was “surprised and saddened” by the claims.
Last night Hay’s