Man jailed for sexually harassing passenger in Dubai Metro

Dubai - The incident was reported at Bur Dubai police station.

A man has been sentenced to three months in jail by the Dubai Court of First Instance after he was found guilty of sexually harassing a pregnant woman in the Metro.
According to public prosecution records, the incident took place on March 10 inside the Metro when the 33-year-old defendant, an Arab who is a kitchen worker, got very close to where the woman stood and pressed his body repeatedly against hers.
The incident was reported at Bur Dubai police station.
The court ordered the deportation of the accused after he completes his jail term.
The complainant, a 31-year-old Arab housewife, recounted how she took the Metro at the Business Bay station to Al Garhoud.
"It was around 5.45pm. Shortly after boarding and as I was standing, I felt someone touching me. I looked behind me and saw him (the accused). Even though there was enough space to keep distance, he just stood very close."
She walked away twice from him and every time, he moved closer. "I knew he did it intentionally. He was quick to come closer to me each time. I also knew he did it on purpose from the way he looked at me," she recalled.
When seeing how mad she became, he told her he would leave the Metro. "I chased after him and screamed in a bid to get help from people around to catch him as he was fast to step off and I felt tired. But to my surprise, once I got outside, he got onboard again," she told the prosecutor.
As she got onboard, the man rushed to leave again. "The door closed before I could go after him," she recalled during investigation.
She noted that the defendant did touch her deliberately. "He could have done that by mistake the first time. But to repeat it or not even change his posture indicates his act was not accidental."
A policeman said they tracked down the suspect through the CCTV cameras installed in the area.
"He confessed he touched the woman but claimed the place was busy."
Footage, capturing the suspect stepping inside the Metro and standing right behind the woman, has been enclosed to the case file. It showed her turning around repeatedly towards him and then chasing after him.
During investigation, the accused justified what he did by claiming the Metro was busy and he ran away after seeing the woman screaming and being angry. He said he got afraid when he heard her saying she would complain.
The ruling is subject to appeal.
mary@khaleejtimes.com 

• Dubai