Two Omani nationals who attempted to 'disrupt, frustrate and protract' proceedings brought by English law firms over unpaid bills face prison terms if and when they return to the UK. Committing Thamer Al-Shanfari and Iman Said Al-Rawas to terms of 24 months and 15 months respectively, The Honourable Mr Justice Morris said the married couple had committed 'serious, persistent and deliberate breaches of court orders' concerning the enforcement of a debt judgment. 

An earlier hearing in the case, brought by law firms Hassan Khan & Co and The Khan Partnership LLP, found Anfari to be guilty to the criminal standard of proof on 12 charges of contempt and Al-Rawas of two. According to the latest judgment, the order was served on the defendants' addressses in Oman by an Omani lawyer instructed by the claimants. The judge said he was satisfied that adequate steps had been taken to draw the defendants' attention to events and thus it was appropriate to sentence them in their absence. 

Explaining the legal principles, the judge noted that the maximum sentence of two years 'is not reserved for the very worst cases; there is a broad range of conduct which falls within the most serious category thereby justifying a sentence at or near maximum.' In this case, he found that the defendants' objective throughout had been to 'disrupt, frustrate and protract proceedings', causing a high level of harm not only to the claimants but to the administration of justice. 

Passing the prison sentences, the judge said he did not consider it appropriate to indicate what proportion of the penalty might be remitted were the defendants to seek to purge their contempt. 

Oman has no extradition treaty with the UK.