Man sexually assaults cleaner

A carpenter who snuck inside a ladies washroom, beat up and raped a cleaner for insulting him must spend 15 years behind bars, a court upheld on Wednesday.

The Asian man, 47, targeted the Nepalese cleaner, 25, inside the washroom of a deluxe market complex in Jumeirah at around 2am on July 10, 2016, she complained to the Bur Dubai Police Station.

He dragged her inside the changing room, pushed her onto the loor and grabbed her mouth while slapping her. He stripped her and left her unconscious, the Dubai Criminal Court learnt.

The court sentenced him to 15 years behind bars to be followed by deportation. Prosecutors had also accused him of abusing alcohol. The court referred this charge to the Misdemenours Court.

While appearing at the Appeals Court on Oct.11, he denied the rape charge and argued, “I slept with her upon her consent.” He presented a defence memo in which he sought utmost leniency. The Appeals Court has rejected his plea.

According to records, while cleaning, the victim looked into a mirror and saw the carpenter standing behind her. She asked him what he was doing in the ladies washroom. She tried to walk out and make a phone call.

He grabbed her mobile. She shouted. He seized her arm, dragged her inside the changing room, seized her mouth and slapped her cheeks several times. She tried to resist. He clenched her.

He repeatedly hit her mouth, slapped her and shoved her down. He threatened her with brutal assault. He was abusing her when he heard sounds of persons outside the washroom. He led.

She complained to a security guard then collapsed in the hands of her friends. An ambulance arrived and rushed her to a hospital. Police arrested him at around 3pm that day.

During questing, he claimed before a lieutenant that she had spontaneously stripped and hurled insults targeting him and his mother. He slapped her and slept with her consensually.