Man in court for assault in Dubai lift

An Egyptian pastry chef has gone on trial for allegedly luring a Filipina woman into a lift and sexually assaulting her.

DUBAI // An Egyptian pastry chef went on trial yesterday for allegedly luring a Filipina woman into a lift and sexually assaulting her. The Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance heard that 33-year-old MN, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, was also on trial in another case for the alleged sexual assault of a six-year-old Indian girl he cornered in an lift. A verdict in that case is expected on Aug 19.

The Filipina woman, identified as JE, a resident of Sharjah, testified that MN lured her to Dubai with a promise of a job in the cafe. She said she met him outside a Dubai shopping mall and he led her on foot to a deserted building in Deira. JE said she was reluctant to enter the disused building after following MN there for 35 minutes. "I thought it was unusual that a cafe would be located inside this building, but I decided to go inside. The defendant then pulled me inside the lift, closed the door and started to take off my shirt," she told prosecutors.

She said MN tried to undress her and attempted to kiss her and touch her inappropriately. She said she escaped from the lift and sought help from the building's watchman while MN fled. According to the public prosecution, MN is suspected in numerous incidents of sexual molestation of women in lifts. @Email:[e-mail]