DUBAI // A Sri Lankan salesman who was jailed for a year after molesting a 12-year-old girl on a plane must serve his sentence, the Court of Appeal has ruled.
At an earlier hearing, Dubai Criminal Court was told that on November 5 last year the Singaporean girl, S K, was travelling alone on a SriLankan Airlines flight from Singapore to Dubai.
When the cabin lights were dimmed she fell asleep but woke up to find A N touching her thigh.
“I pushed his hand away and told him not to repeat it, then fell asleep again,” the girl said.
She said she then awoke again to find him touching her chest and private parts.
“He even tried to unbutton my trousers but couldn’t,” she said.
“I felt so scared as I was alone on the plane.
“I didn’t know what to do, especially as he kept repeating what he did all the way to Dubai.”
She said he stopped only when the cabin lights were turned on.
Afterwards he tried to start a conversation with the girl and followed her when the plane landed at Dubai International Airport.
She saw a police officer and told him what had happened.
When A N was arrested, police found that he had 1.97 grams of marijuana on him.
He was charged with molestation, drinking alcohol and possessing drugs.
The girl’s father, who was waiting at the airport, said he was surprised to see his daughter being accompanied by police.
“She was crying and I got scared,” said S P, 52. “I asked the police officer with her what had happened and he said I would soon know.
“Then on the way to the police office he told me a man had molested my daughter.”
A N confessed to all charges and requested the court’s mercy.
He was jailed for one year in March and will be deported after his sentence.
tzriqat@thenational.ae