Man tells Dubai court he kissed girl, 13, in a ‘fatherly way’


Salam Al Amir
  • English
  • Arabic

DUBAI // A man accused of molesting a 13-year-old girl in a lift told a court that he was just kissing her as if she was his daughter.

Pakistani M B, 31, denied a charge of sexual assault at Dubai Criminal Court on Monday after prosecutors said he had held the British girl’s face between his hands and kissed her cheek and lips on October 27 last year.

The girl, G R, said she was on the ground floor of the building where she lived in Al Barsha and was using the lift to return to her family’s flat on the sixth floor when the defendant got in the lift.

She said that, when he grabbed her, she tried to get out at the third floor but said the man would not let her. She eventually managed to flee via a staircase and made her way to her mother, who was at the gym in the building.

“She was hysterical and shaking from fear and kept repeating that someone had kissed her,” said 34-year-old mother L H.

“I went outside with my daughter looking for this man, and when we didn’t find him I called building security and reported the incident.”

Police said in records that they tracked down the man through his car’s number plate, which they had obtained from camera footage.

“We checked the surveillance cameras and saw him getting into a car that obviously belonged to his work, so we managed to get to him and arrested him in Sharjah, in collaboration with Sharjah Police,” said policeman A H, 35.

“When he was first asked, he said he just saw a girl who seemed to be scared and in trouble and all he did was to calm her down.”

The defendant insisted during prosecution investigations that he only kissed the girl on her head and forehead in a fatherly way. He also denied sexually assaulting her in court.

A verdict is expected on April 9.

salamir@thenational.ae

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Milestones on the road to union

1970

October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar. 

December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.

1971

March 1:  Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.

July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.

July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.

August 6:  The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.

August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.

September 3: Qatar becomes independent.

November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.

November 29:  At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.

November 30: Despite  a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa. 

November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties

December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.

December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.

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