ABU DHABI // A teenage runaway claimed to have had sex with strange men to get back at her oppressive father, a court heard today.
The Emirati was arrested by police after being reported as a runaway by her father and told officers she had taken part in a number of sexual liaisons, including one in which she had intercourse with an unknown man in a car.
However, her lawyer told the Criminal Court that her claims did not make sense and that she made them up to spite her father, who she blamed for oppressing her.
"Her statements don't make sense and are unrealistic," said the lawyer. "First, she said she was with this man in the car in the middle of the day and they had sex... then she denied this, then she confessed again."
The lawyer insisted that her confessions should not be taken into consideration by the court.
"The forensics report itself found she did not have any sexual intercourse."
Chief Justice Sayed Abdul Baseer asked the teenager if she had a "right mind" and she nodded.
But her lawyer insisted she had a history of "psychological issues".
"I attached to the file a recent report from the Fujairah courts where she tried to commit suicide a number of times and was prosecuted," he said.
"She did all this to escape her father's oppression."
He said that the most recent suicide attempt took place only shortly before she ran away.
A verdict is expected on April 29.
hdajani@thenational.ae
