DUBAI // A maid was sexually assaulted after opening the door to one of her household's ex-employees, a court heard today.
AA, 37, from India, forced his way into the home and chased the maid into the garden before grabbing her and fondling her breasts, prosecutors told the Criminal Court.
She pushed him away and ran screaming to her room where she and another maid locked themselves in until he had gone.
The man, who had previously worked for the home owner as a driver, knocked on the door of the villa on February 1 this year. The maid answered and told him her sponsor was not present.
"He gave me his number on a piece of paper," recalled the maid, who said the man forced his way in as she tried to shut the door.
He grabbed her by the gown but she pushed him away and ran towards her room in the villa's garden. He chased her and caught her before she could get there and began touching her, but she managed to escape his grip and ran to her room where a fellow maid was showering.
The other maid, hearing the screams, opened the room's door and saw her co-worker being chased by the man. She let her colleague in and locked the door.
"He started knocking on the door and asked me to return the piece of paper with his number," recalled the maid. "I think he feared being traced by the number if I reported him to police."
The Emirati sponsor, SH, testified that he fired the driver four years ago when he discovered he drank alcohol.
The man was charged with sex assault and trespassing. He denied the first and confessed to the second. "I swear I didn't do anything wrong," he told the court.
A verdict is expected on April 7.
salamir@thenational.ae
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases
A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.
One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.
In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.
The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.
And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Wenger's Arsenal reign in numbers
1,228 - games at the helm, ahead of Sunday's Premier League fixture against West Ham United.
704 - wins to date as Arsenal manager.
3 - Premier League title wins, the last during an unbeaten Invincibles campaign of 2003/04.
1,549 - goals scored in Premier League matches by Wenger's teams.
10 - major trophies won.
473 - Premier League victories.
7 - FA Cup triumphs, with three of those having come the last four seasons.
151 - Premier League losses.
21 - full seasons in charge.
49 - games unbeaten in the Premier League from May 2003 to October 2004.
Sreesanth's India bowling career
Tests 27, Wickets 87, Average 37.59, Best 5-40
ODIs 53, Wickets 75, Average 33.44, Best 6-55
T20Is 10, Wickets 7, Average 41.14, Best 2-12
T20 WORLD CUP QUALIFIER
Results
UAE beat Nigeria by five wickets
Hong Kong beat Canada by 32 runs
Friday fixtures
10am, Tolerance Oval, Abu Dhabi – Ireland v Jersey
7.30pm, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi – Canada v Oman
