Sailor who assaulted niece has jail-term cut to one year by Dubai court

Sailor who molested his 7-year-old niece, giving her a sexually transmitted disease, has his 10-year jail term reduced to one year.

DUBAI // A sailor who molested his seven-year-old niece, giving her a sexually transmitted disease, has had his 10-year jail term reduced to one year.

E H, 31, an Emirati, was sentenced to 10 years in prison when the Criminal Court convicted him in absentia in October 2011.

However, after appearing at court voluntarily he was granted a retrial and yesterday received a new verdict – the court once more found him guilty, but cut his jail term.

During the sailor’s trial the court heard that he had forced the girl into his room, stripped her and assaulted her before threatening to beat her if she told her parents what had happened.

The girl kept quiet but her mother noticed she was unwell and took her to Al Mamzar clinic, where she was informed that her daughter had contracted the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhoea.

The mother testified that her daughter had been too scared to say who had molested her, but eventually gave in and said it was her uncle, who lived with them in Al Muhaisnah 2.

The mother reported the incident to police on June 2, 2011, about a month after the sailor’s attack.

A police officer told the court that when he visited the house the sailor confessed to the attack. He also confessed during prosecution interviews.