Dancer denies prostitution charges

DUBAI // A female dancer tearfully denied charges of prostitution in court this morning, telling the judge she had been the victim of violence.

"Had I been having sex with men in return for money, I wouldn't have called the police to report the crime," said YR, 23, an Indian.

Prosecutors at the Criminal Court of First Instance charged YR with prostitution and charged SS, a 39-year-old dance club supervisor, and YM, 35, both Indians, with abusing YR and taking advantage of her work in the sex trade.

Both men denied the charges.

A Dubai Police first corporal, OM, 28, testified that about 8am on March 22, the police operations room received a phone call about violence at a villa in Al Manama aera.

"I headed to the location behind Supermarket Al Manzil with my colleague NK,"  OM said.

He said that when they knocked on the door of the two-floor villa, YM opened the door and introduced himself as the security guard. When they asked him about the report, he denied any problems.

"I called the operations room and asked to be connected with the woman who filed the report," OM said.

OM spoke to YR and asked her about her whereabouts. She said she was in the second floor of the villa and that she had called the police. She met the corporal along with eight other women, who said they were forced into having sex with club customers.

Forensics experts examined YR on May 5 and found she was five weeks pregnant, reports show.

Prosecutors said YR admitted to having sex with two men.

A verdict is expected on August 16.

salamir@thenationa.ae