Six-month suspended jail term for student deported

Dubai: A college student has escaped imprisonment after admitting before a court that he was joking when he groped his female classmate and tried to kiss her.

The Dubai Court of First Instance yesterday awarded the 24-year-old Egyptian student a six-month suspended jail term.

Presiding Judge Abdul Majid Al Nezamy granted the suspect a lenient sentence because the accused does not have a criminal record and requested clemency. According to the verdict, the court believes the defendant will not repeat the crime.

"The whole matter was a joke...I am a student and have come to the UAE to earn a living. I am taking English courses to improve my second language. I didn't intend to break the law. I noticed that many couples hug and kiss in the college so I thought why not give it a shot!" argued the student when he defended himself before the court.

The Public Prosecution charged the defendant, M.S. with molesting his Ethiopian colleague, A.D. by hugging her, groping her and attempting to kiss her against her will.

He handed a written waiver from the girl confirming that she dropped her charges against him to the court. "I didn't mean anything bad behind what happened...honest to God it was nothing more than a joke," he told the court.

The Public Prosecution charged the accused, M.S. with molesting the Ethiopian girl.

The court confirmed he will be deported. Police have a number of pictures taken by a surveillance camera which implicated the suspect.