Online date 'led to woman being robbed', Dubai court hears

The man has been charged with forceful robbery, but was not present in court to enter a plea.

Powered by automated translation

DUBAI // A woman was assaulted and robbed by a man she had met online three days earlier, a court heard yesterday.

T?K, from Ukraine, met Emirati E?M, 31, on the Badoo website on June 25 last year and agreed to meet him at her room in a hotel so they could go to a nightclub, prosecutors said.

But while she was getting ready he smashed a glass and waved it in her face, telling her to hand over her valuables, they said.

When she gave him everything in her handbag he dragged her to the safe and told her to open it.

She refused and he hit her with a bottle of alcohol, then punched her all over her body, the court heard. She ran to the bathroom and he followed but slipped, and she hit him on the head before running outside for help.

Police were called and arrested him. They said they found her iPhone and Dh6,000 on him.

He told them the woman was a prostitute who had offered to have sex with him in for Dh1,500.

“I went to her room and we drank alcohol,” said the man, who added that he had paid her an extra Dh1,000 as a courtesy.

He said he found she had taken another Dh1,000 from his wallet while he was in the toilet, sparking a heated argument.

“When I headed to the door to leave, she hit me with the alcohol bottle,” he said. He told police she ran from the room and he then took her mobile phone.

The man was charged with forceful robbery but was not present in court to enter a plea.

A verdict is expected next week.