DUBAI // A policeman has had his two-year sentence for molesting a woman he met on Facebook reduced to three months by Dubai Court of Appeal.

Emirati SA, 26, took 25-year-old Filipina KB for a drive and touched her chest and threatened to kill her 10 days after meeting on the social-networking website and exchanging messages on BlackBerry Messenger.

“I agreed to see him in a mall in Deira,” the woman said. “He came in a Nissan Patrol and waited for me at the car park. I asked him about his plans and he said he will drive around and asked me to join him.”

They drove for an hour before he parked near a hotel.

“He put the sun shade on the front window, then kissed me on the lips. I told him to stop but he did not. Instead, he pulled off my T-shirt and touched my chest. I screamed and pushed his hand away but he gagged me to stop my screaming,” she said.

Records show that SA sat on top of his victim and continued molesting her despite her pleas.

“Shut up or I will kill you he said to me while keeping one of his hands in a choking position as he continued to molest me,” said KB.

After failing to reach her phone to call for help, she managed to get to the driver’s seat and honk the horn before opening the door and running. “He drove off with my handbag and mobile phone inside the car,” said KB.

Emirati policeman AA, 32, testified that after identifying the defendant, he confessed. “He said he asked her to have sex and she agreed but as he started, she changed her mind and said no,” AA said. “He added that he offered her money but she didn’t take it, so he opened the passenger door and pushed her out of the car then left.”

The police found the victim’s belongings in SA’s car.

He denied charges of sexual assault and issuing threats at Dubai Criminal Court last May.

“She offered herself to me and I turned her down,” he told the judge.

However, he was convicted and sentenced to two years but then appealed and the sentence was reduced on appeal.

salamir@thenational.ae