Businessman jailed for attempted sex assault

Dubai: A businessman has been jailed for three years after a court convicted him of attempting to rape a woman who regarded him as a brother.

The Dubai Court of First Instance found the 38-year-old businessman, C.M., guilty of trying to rape his 35-year-old countrywoman, S.S., while she was at his flat in International City.

Prosecution records said S.S., a Pakistani, foiled C.M.'s rape attempt by fighting him and locking herself in the washroom before calling the police.

Presiding Judge Maher Salama Al Mahdi said the accused will be deported after serving his jail term.

C.M. pleaded not guilty when he defended himself in court.

According to the charge sheet, C.M. dragged S.S. by the arm and threw her on the bed. Then he tried to remove her clothes.

S.S. testified her friend from Pakistan gave her C.M.'s contact number.

Hang out

"He was the only acquaintance I knew in Dubai. We used to hang out together at parks and restaurants. We became like a brother and a sister. I refused to go with him alone to see his flat without permission from my husband, who was in Malaysia. I agreed upon his persistence. I took permission to use the bathroom.

"When I came out, I used his phone to call my husband. My husband asked me to leave. C.M. refused to take me home saying he wanted to have sex with me. I said I regarded him as a brother. He yelled back at me that he was not… then tried to remove my pants. I pushed him away, hid in the bathroom and locked the door," S.S. told prosecutors.