JEDDAH, Jul 19 (Arab News): A court in Hail sentenced on Sunday a 35-year-old Saudi woman to 30 days in jail and 100 lashes for accompanying another woman who stormed an elementary school in the Kingdom’s north-central region carrying an assault rifle.

Sentenced to 15 days in jail and 50 lashes was a 16-year-old boy who drove the car used by the two women.

The court is expected to sentence the woman who was carrying the Kalashnikov in the next few days.

The 40-year-old Saudi mother walked into the school, located in the village of Al-Thekra close to Hail, with an AK-47 assault rifle and demanded teachers hand over her son.

She was, however, overpowered by the teachers and handed over to the police.

The school’s principal said he was surprised to see the mother walk into the school with the gun, adding that she threatened to open fire to scare him into handing over the boy.

The school principal, however, refused to hand over the boy. Other teachers intervened and tried to calm her down. The woman then became aggressive and was physically restrained and disarmed by the teachers.

According to police sources, the woman’s husband beat her up the day before and that she had vowed to leave him along with their son to live at her father’s home.