Pilot denies molesting girl in lift

DUBAI // A pilot allegedly molested a 14-year-old girl in a lift, a court heard today.

A?N said she was assaulted while on her way to her Arabic language tutor's apartment in Al Jawhara building, Knowledge Village, at about 11am on March 17. She told the court that when she entered the lift, a man also stepped in.

"I pressed floor 31 and he pressed 21," said the girl. She added that when the lift reached floor 21, the man did not leave.

"As the lift's door closed again on the 21st floor, he approached me and tried to touch my face," she said.

She said she pushed the man but he kept trying to touch her. When the lift reached the 31st floor, the girl rushed to her tutor's apartment and told her what happened.

The building's security guard told police he saw the man getting into the lift with the girl.

Surveillance cameras showed he had pressed the button for the 21st floor but did not get out of the lift there, according to the guard.

J?L, a 29-year-old pilot, who works "for a reputable airline in the UAE", denies molesting the girl.

His lawyer requested a copy of the video camera recordings.

Dubai Criminal Court adjourned the hearing until May 29.

salamir@thenational.ae