Ajman: A 14-year-old girl will appear in court on a charge of adultery later this month, court sources have told Gulf News.

"The trial will start in spite of the age ceiling set for trials on sexual related crimes by the UAE law.

"The law states that the minimum age of suspects in crimes related to sex must be 15 years. Such cases should be conducted in special juvenile courts. Otherwise, suspects are considered victims rather than suspects," another law expert told Gulf News.

The suspect was detained by the Ajman police on March 22, something her father said could ruin her future.

The 14-year-old girl was charged with adultery when she was caught meeting with her 25-year-old boyfriend on the roof top of the building her family lives in.

Transfer

She was locked up for more than two weeks at the Ajman central jail with older women before being transferred to a juvenile centre in Sharjah, a day after Gulf News published her story.

The young girl was also locked up for three days in solitary confinement in a section reserved for Emiratis.

Expatriate children who commit crimes are usually locked up at central jails with adults, but the case of the girl was handled differently.

The father described his daughter who is in grade 9 as a brilliant student.

"I did not inform the school about the incident. I did not tell her brothers too. They believe that she went to stay with her aunt in Abu Dhabi for sometime," the father said sobbing.

Refused bail

"The case of my daughter was referred to public prosecutors, who refused to bail her out despite the fact that we offered to keep more than 10 passports [as security] to bail her out," the distressed father said.

He said his daughter has remained locked up at Ajman Central Jail since March 22 and she is sharing a cell with adult women.

He had earlier revealed how his daughter had been referred to a gynaecologist for a virginity test.

The man involved in the case was arrested later at a bar in Dubai.

Defence lawyer Abdul Hamid Al Kumaiti said the girl will be tried later this month at an Ajman court on charges of adultery.