Lifeguard who molested girls jailed for six months

DUBAI // A hotel lifeguard who molested two young girls has been sentenced to six months in jail. SM, 25, from Pakistan, was convicted of sexually assaulting the sisters, aged nine and seven, next to the hotel swimming pool on September 17. Two of the hotel's managers were fined Dh1,000 each for failing to report the incident to police. Prosecutors would not reveal the name of the hotel.

The Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance heard that SM approached the girls and asked them to shower before swimming. The girls told investigators he assaulted them before they managed to push him away and run back to their hotel room. The children's mother told prosecutors that she found out about the assault two days later when the girls said they were scared to return to the pool. Prosecution records show that when the mother informed the hotel about the incident, the two managers, JN, 38, a Syrian, and DK, 38, an Indian, tried to convince her not to contact the police.

DK "slapped" the lifeguard and said he would be dismissed from his job, the mother told investigators. She called the police herself, and they arrested the defendants. amustafa@thenational.ae