Abu Dhabi stairwell rapist has jail term increased to 15 years

ABU DHABI // An Egyptian man facing five charges of rape and sexual harrassment was sentenced to a further five years in jail today after already being sentenced to 10 previously.

MA, who followed women as they left hotels and then pounced on them as they entered lifts, was handed five years at Abu Dhabi Criminal Court for sexual harrassment after already being sentenced to 10 years for raping one of the Asian victims.

In the harrassment incident, the man followed the same pattern as he had before, following the woman as she left a hotel, entering the lift with her and then threatening her with a knife in an attempt to force her into sex on a nearby staircase.

On this occassion the night watchman heard the woman's screams at 3am and rushed to the source, where he found MA naked and about to rape his victim. The watchman said MA fled when he saw him.

The accused man continues to deny all the charges and witnesses testimonies against him. He previously told the court: "They are lying. I haven't seen them before."

Further charges are yet to be heard.

hdajani@thenational.ae