Uncle accused of raping 12-year-old niece

The defendant was allegedly renowned for his drunkenness and womanising to such an extent that most of his family had barred him from their houses.

ABU DHABI // A man raped his 12-year-old niece in her home while he was drunk, Abu Dhabi Criminal Court has heard.

The defendant, an Emirati, was allegedly renowned for his drunkenness and womanising to such an extent that most of his family had barred him from their houses.

One of his sisters, however, who was the mother of the victim, convinced her husband to allow him into the majlis.

The father agreed, on condition that his daughter and her 14-year-old sister were not left alone with their uncle.

On the night of the incident, the uncle visited from out of town just as his sister and nieces had returned from a trip. They were tired and went to bed, while he stayed in the majlis.

After they went to sleep, he went to a nearby hotel and drank an entire bottle of wine.

When he returned drunk, he had advances spurned by the family's maid and the 14-year-old. So, he woke up the 12-year-old girl and tricked her into going to the majlis with him, where he raped her.

Afterwards, he swore her to secrecy about the incident but after he departed the girl told her mother.

An examination by doctors found she had injuries consistent with a rape.

The defendant was not present in court but had previously denied the charges. He claimed that his niece had invented the attack because he had told her off for playing with his iPad.

The case was adjourned until December 17.