DUBAI // A British man who drunkenly kissed a hotel receptionist and then tried to give her money instead of apologising, was given a 3-month suspended jail sentence by the Dubai Criminal Court.
A R, a 35-year-old project manager, was charged with sexual assault and consuming alcohol without a licence.
On November 27 last year A R turned up drunk at the Atlantis, The Palm hotel, where he was staying and kissed Kenyan receptionist E A on the lips.
The 26-year-old told prosecutors that she was on the front desk when she was taken by surprise by A R.
“He held my face in his hands then kissed me on the lips and left,” said E A.
The receptionist added that a few minutes later A R returned with a number of friends who asked him to apologise to her.
“He gave me Dh200 instead, which I refused to take then called for the hotel’s security who restrained him and called police who came and arrested him,” said E A.
Prosecutors said A R confessed to kissing E A but said he was drunk at the time.
In court in January, A R’s lawyer Saeed Al Ghilani said A R was driven by a different culture and kissed the woman as a thank you and did not have any intentions of molesting her.
He requested the court acquit A R and submitted an authenticated waiver from E A in which she dropped the charges against A R.
A R was given a three-month suspended jail sentence and was fined Dh2,000 for consuming alcohol without a licence.
tzriqat@thenational.ae
