Dubai: A mechanic has been accused of groping a 14-year-old girl after requesting her mother to take a few photographs of him with the child outside a row of shops in Naif market in Dubai.
The Iranian mechanic allegedly stepped out of a shop selling sweets and herbs and asked the passing woman if he could have a photo taken with her daughter.
The defendant, H.I, 30, did not enter a plea as he failed to attend the hearing before the Dubai Court of First Instance on Sunday.
According to the charges sheet, prosecutors said H.I. took advantage of the fact that the mother was busy taking pictures to molest the teenager.
An Emirati policeman said the girl’s mother complained that the defendant had groped her daughter as he posed for pictures with her. “I headed to the location to question the suspect, who claimed he was not the shop owner. He said the shop belonged to his friend whom he happened to be visiting when the incident happened,” the policeman said.
Records said the defendant seemed perplexed when he was questioned by the policeman.
During primary interrogations, the mechanic admitted that he groped the girl’s private parts while their pictures were being taken.
Court records showed photos of H.I. along with the girl.
The girl claimed the suspect stopped her and her mother in front of the store as they were passing by and asked if he could have pictures taken with her in front of the sweet shop.
Records said the mother noticed that her daughter was acting in an embarrassed and confused manner shortly after they walked away from the shop.
The woman immediately walked back to the shop and confronted H.I. after her daughter told her what had happened.
