‘Devil deceived me’, accused sex attacker tells Dubai court

DUBAI // A man accused of sexual assault was “deceived by the devil” into believing the woman welcomed his advances, a court heard yesterday.

When the woman made it clear she was not interested in him, he started sending text messages telling her he couldn’t control himself in front of her “shiny eyes” and that the way she walked could “make a stone talk and show its feelings”.

Prosecutors told the Criminal Court that A A, 33, met the woman, an events planner, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel on May 9 this year when the pair were working on a reception he was hosting.

The pair met several times throughout the day and at about 5.30pm the man asked the event planner to go with him to the main hall.

“After walking out of the hall, he hugged me and tried to kiss me,” recalled the woman, who rebuffed his advances, saying she was there to work.

She said he then started sending her the text messages.

In court, the man denied a charge of forceful sexual assault.

His lawyer asked to cross examine the event planner in court.

The case was adjourned to September 30.

salamir@thenational.ae