DUBAI// A 72-year-old man was convicted of sexually assaulting a woman while taking a photo with her.
The Indian confessed earlier in Dubai Criminal Court and said he was “out of his mind” at the time.
“I did that, but I don’t understand how I did it. I think I was out of my mind. I’m old and have a heart disease and been living here for more than 40 years during which I haven’t committed any violation,” said the man, who works as a carpenter.
Print outs of a surveillance camera footage showed the man hugging and kissing the woman.
Police received an email from the victim reporting the incident.
On August 23 last year, the woman, whose age was not mentioned, was at the Dubai Museum when the elderly man asked for a photo with her.
She said she did not mind as he was old, but that when he stood close to her he put his arms around her, kissed her on the cheek, then touched her breast.
“At nearly 1.30pm she came to me crying. She asked me if there were any police officers at the museum. I told her I was head of security and she can tell me whatever was upsetting her. She told me that a man had touched her,” said an Ethiopian security guard.
It was not mentioned in court when the defendant was arrested.
He was sentenced to a one-year-suspended prison sentence but will be deported immediately. He can appeal the verdict within 15 days.
salamir@thenational.ae
