Jail for Dubai burglars who demanded massage at 4.30am

Two men who broke into a health club and demanded a massage at 4.30am are sentenced to jail.

DUBAI // Two men who broke into a health club and demanded a massage at 4.30am have been sentenced to jail.

The Dubai Criminal Court sentenced KR, 32, to three years in prison and SR, 31, to two years.

Both unemployed Emiratis knocked violently on the door of the health club in Al Qusais in the early hours of April 9 and woke MK, a 38-year-old masseuse from Thailand.

When she opened the door they demanded a massage, but she told them it was too late and that they should return in the morning. They then pushed their way in and locked the door behind them.

The masseuse ran behind the reception table and tried to phone for help but one of the men, KR, stopped her. "He tried to touch me but I moved away from him," she said.

She then escaped to the roof of the building and screamed for help.

But before it could arrive KR entered the bedroom of another worker at the parlour, 25-year-old PF, also from Thailand, and began to grope her, waking her up.

The two men then fled the premises, stealing a laptop and two mobile phones on the way, and locking the door behind them.

When police arrived they had to break down the door to rescue the women.

Officers tracked the mobile phones to Emirati AR, 41, who said he bought them from his half brother for Dh300. He was charged with possessing stolen items but the court acquitted him today.

KR and SR were convicted of breaking and entering charges.