Man cleared of sexually assaulting neighbour

dubai — A man, who sneaked into his neighbour’s bedroom at night, was cleared of a sexual assault charge by a Dubai court on Wednesday. Prosecutors accused the 56-year-old Saudi trader of trespassing into the Moroccan woman’s flat and sexually assaulting her.

The trader was also charged with physically assaulting and verbally abusing the woman as she resisted him. He also damaged her Dh4,000 smart phone after he threw it down.

The man was accused of consuming alcohol without a permit as he was under the influence of liquor then.

The Court of First Instance referred the trader to the Court of Misdemeanors on the charges of trespass, physical assault, insult and consuming liquor without a permit. The case dates back to August 3 last year in Al Barsha.

The complainant, a 33-yearold saleswoman, said the incident took place when she was sleeping at her place in Dubai Marina. “I woke up to someone pulling my hair and was shocked to see a man in my room. I tried to push him away in vain; he was grabbing my shirt and he tore it up as he would not let go of me.”

He then slapped her on her cheek and arms while verbally abusing the woman, she claimed, adding that he kept pulling her by the hair and touching the victim all over while kissing her.

As she managed to push him away and take her mobile phone to call the police, he snatched it from her and threw it down. She could push him out by force after he would not leave on his own.

As she was talking to the watchman to call the police, the defendant came back, expressing his willingness to pay her up for the damage done to her phone on condition she would not complain against him. However, she sought the help of the security guard to get him out of her apartment. She said that she spoke with the guard with her clothes torn.

A police corporal, who reported to the crime scene, told the prosecutor the complainant cried as she recounted what she had just gone through. According to the forensic report, the complainant was left with bruises because of the assault.