DUBAI // A Kuwaiti man who was accused of endangering the life of a British lawyer by pushing her overboard from a yacht despite knowing she could not swim was acquitted yesterday.
The Dubai Court of Misdemeanours heard that in May 2013, T N invited a group of friends, including the 32-year-old lawyer and her sister, to spend a day at sea on his father’s boat.
The boat had dropped anchor near the Royal Mirage Hotel when she spotted another friend on a jet ski.
So she asked T N if she could leave the yacht to take a ride on the jet ski.
She alleged that T N lost his temper, pushed her into the sea and threw her handbag on to her head while she was in the water.
When her sister tried to rescue her, she said T N tried to push her off the yacht as well.
The lawyer managed to grab the safety boat attached to the yacht, before the man on the jet ski rescued her and drove her to the shore.
She then reported the incident to police.
T N denied the charge, saying she jumped into the sea on her own accord so that she could ride the jet ski.
Prosecution records said the lawyer dropped her complaint but later decided to take a civil action against the Kuwaiti in the hope of receiving compensation.
The court acquitted the man because of lack of evidence.
salamir@thenational.ae
