Dubai: A chemistry teacher, who molested his 17-year-old student while taking a selfie with her inside the classroom, was jailed for three months on Sunday.

The Lebanese teacher, O.M., kissed and molested the Canadian teenaged student at a school at Al Garhoud in May.

The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted O.M. of molestation after he argued that he was innocent and contended that the student had tried to tempt him to get high grades.

Presiding judge Mohammad Jamal said the defendant will be deported after serving his jail term. According to Sunday’s ruling, the accused took advantage of the fact that he was alone with the student in the classroom to grope and kiss her.

Defending himself in court, O.M. argued that he had been teaching in the same school for three years and had never been accused of any wrongdoing. “I have a good record. I taught more than 120 students a year and more than 270 students graduated since I taught them. I also give private lessons to daughters of high profile people such as a famous lawyer and that of an ambassador. Had I indulged in such an unacceptable behaviour, the school would’ve at least warned me or moved me to the boys’ section,” he contended.

“She is new in school and had only been there for a month when she started tempting me in order to make me give her high grades ... I won’t ever do such an unacademic thing and give a student undeserved grades. She wanted to be close to me just for that,” he added.

Records said the defendant showed the girl several photos that he claimed he took with the victim’s classmates because it was his birthday.

The suspect’s lawyer also asked the court to clear charges against his client for lack of evidence.

“It would have been impossible for the teacher to have committed such an act because the classroom’s door has a glass window that allows anybody from the outside to see inside,” said the lawyer.

The girl said the incident happened after the teacher had dictated notes to her.

The defendant’s mobile phone contained photos of him with some schoolgirls, according to records.

M.N. was quoted as telling prosecutors that he had been joking when he touched her back and stomach.

Sunday’s judgement remains subject to appeal within 15 days.