Trainer stands trial for molesting schoolgirl

I pushed him away, telling him not to touch me and that I was not feeling at ease with what he was doing.”

Complainant

dubai — A trainer allegedly lured a 17-year-old schoolgirl to a gym in Dubai on the pretext of showing her how to work out and then molested her, a court has heard. The 34-year-old Pakistani has been charged with molestation as he stood trial at the Dubai Court of First Instance.

Prosecutors accused the defendant of groping and kissing the Egyptian girl at the gym when no one was around. The incident was reported on July 25 and a case was registered at Al Qusais police station.

The victim said during the public prosecution investigation that she signed up at a gym in Al Muhaisnah at 9pm on July 25. “I left the gym and was walking home when I spotted someone waving at me. It was the accused, who worked as a personal trainer at that gym. He told me to come the next day as he would be my workout coach.”

She claimed he called her the following day and told her to go between 2pm and 3pm. When she did, she was “surprised” to see that there was no one but them at that time. She said he

took her to a room where he pretended to take her body measurements to determine where she needed “enhancements”.

“He caught me off guard when he touched me inappropriately. I pushed him away, telling him not to touch me and that I was not feeling at ease with what he was doing,” she told the prosecutor.

She said she pushed him away as he tried to molest her.

The girl went down to the women’s section and then back to her house, where she told her mother about the incident. The mother lodged a police complaint after. A CCTV footage from the gym was used by the prosecution investigator as evidence. The cameras captured the time the defendant met the victim, which was 3.22pm on the incident day. The personal trainer has been placed in detention.

The trial was adjourned to October 16.