Dubai: A British suspect on Sunday rejected in court the charge of indecently exposing himself to a policeman at Jumeirah Open Beach and groping the policeman's private parts.
The Emirati policeman alleged to prosecutors that the 38-year-old Briton flashed his private parts at the beach and also groped him after he finished swimming.
The Briton, who is an educational aids specialist, pleaded not guilty when he appeared at the Dubai Court of First Instance.
According to the arraignment sheet, the Public Prosecution charged the suspect, S.H., with exposing himself in public and molesting the policeman.
"That did not happen ... I am innocent," the suspect said when he defended himself before Presiding Judge Al Saeed Mohammad Barghout.
The 27-year-old policeman from the Dubai Police's Ports Station testified that the incident happened on a Saturday at 3am.
Pushed him away
"I was on duty at the Open Beach. The suspect walked towards me while I was swimming ... I told him I am from Dubai when he asked about my nationality. Suddenly, he touched my private parts ... I pushed him away quickly and tried to take out my identification card to show it to him. He grabbed my left arm and placed it on his private parts ... he had removed his swimsuit. Then he let go of my hand when I told him I am a policeman and presented my ID," the policeman said in his statement.
Records said the policeman instantly took the Briton to the police station.
When he was questioned by the police and Public Prosecution, S.H. admitted that he had groped the claimant.
In the charge sheet, prosecutors asked the court to implement articles 121 and 356 of the Federal Penal Code. According to article 356, a suspect who molests someone against his/her will faces a temporary punishment which varies between three and 15 years in jail. Meanwhile, article 121 stipulates a mandatory deportation in molestation cases.
The trial continues.
