Dubai: A visitor, who groped another man at an upscale pub in Dubai while he was drunk, has been sentenced to three months in jail.
The 37-year-old British visitor was at the pub with friends when he got drunk and groped the German man at the bar in July.
The 47-year-old German called the police and shortly before their arrival, the Briton also made an obscene gesture in the complainant’s face.
On Sunday, the Dubai Court of First Instance convicted the defendant of groping the German victim and handed him a three-month imprisonment.
Presiding judge Mohammad Jamal said the accused, who had pleaded innocent, will be deported following the completion of his punishment.
Sunday’s ruling marks the second punishment against the British defendant, who was handed a one month jail term earlier this month for making indecent gesture in public at the pub.
The accused, who has been on bail, now faces a total of four months in jail that were handed to him by the Courts of Misdemeanours and First Instance.
As for the drinking charge, the Misdemeanours Court fined the Briton Dh2,000 and was also handed a deportation order.
“Not guilty,” the 37-year-old told the court when he refuted his groping charge.
The German victim testified that he was out with friends at the pub in Al Barsha when the incident happened.
“The accused was drunk and he came from behind and groped me. When I asked him why he groped me, he laughed … shortly before the police arrived, he flashed his middle finger at me,” he said.
A Jordanian witness said that he spotted the Briton patting the posterior of his friend, who was angered with the defendant’s attitude and indecent behaviour.
The defendant’s countryman friend testified that the 37-year-old’s arm mistakenly hit that of the German and he put his hand around the side of his posterior in an apologetic manner.
“He meant to say sorry,” the friend said.
Sunday’s ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
Meanwhile court records have shown the defendant’s one-month imprisonment [of making indecent gesture in public] was not appealed and has become final.
