Man jailed for bid to sexually assault teen

dubai — A 53-year-old man, who kidnapped a 14-year-old boy and attempted to sexually assault him after dragging him by force inside the washroom of a mosque, has been sentenced to two years in jail.

The attempt of the Sudanese man, who worked as a boat maintenance technician, to sexually assault the boy, a Pakistani, was stopped after some youths spotted him and knocked on the cubicle’s door.

The Court of First Instance found him guilty of charges of kidnap and deprivation of a minor’s freedom by deceit and force and attempted sexual assault. He has been ordered to be deported at the end of the jail term.

The incident took place on March 5, 2017, in Al Waheeda, Al Muraqqabat.

A 19-year-old Iranian witness said: “It was around noon when I was sitting in my friend’s car outside a mosque. The defendant was in his car talking to the boy (the victim) who was standing nearby. The two of them later went to the washroom. But I was surprised then to see them entering a cubicle together.

“I told my friend to film it on his phone while I knocked on the door. When I knocked, the accused came out, looking scared and agitated. I asked him how many persons were inside and he replied it was just him. But I saw the boy inside. The accused then ran out and drove off.”

The boy’s father came shortly later to pick him up and the police were called.

The boy’s 52-year-old father said his son was waiting for his driver to go to school when the defendant tried to show him a clip on his phone. “He then followed him inside the washroom, gagged him and made him enter the cubicle with him and locked the door.”