Man jailed for having sex with tourist

An employee has been jailed for six months for engaging in sexual intercourse with a tourist, who claimed that she was raped in her hotel room after inviting him over for a drink.

The American tourist, 24, was in town for a three-day holiday when she met the 29-year-old Moroccan employee on board a Dubaibound flight in December.

The defendant and the American woman became friends and she invited him over for a drink at her hotel room in Dubai Marina.

Having obtained prior permission to bring over his cousin, the two Moroccans visited the tourist at her luxurious hotel room where they drank liquor all night.

When the 24-year-old woman woke up in the morning, she claimed to have realised that she had been raped.

The woman told the police that the accused had asked her for a phone charger and, when she took him to her room, he punched her and forced himself on her. The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted the accused of having sex with the 24-year-old American.

The ruling remains subject to appeal.