A man who tried to rape a woman he promised to help find a job will spend a year in prison.
On Tuesday, Dubai Criminal Court convicted the Emirati, 46, of luring the Filipina accountant, 26, to his mother's villa, beating her and trying to force himself on her.
Records show the woman was given the defendant's number by a friend who suggested she call him for help finding a job.
When she contacted him, he convinced her that he owned a travel agency in Burj Khalifa and offered her a job.
On January 31, the man picked the woman up in his car from Al Rashidiya Metro station to take her to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation where he said he would check her visa status.
“He returned to the car and told me that my residency visa was cancelled but also said not to worry. He said I could stay with his other employees at their labour accommodation and drove me to my place in Ras Al Khaimah so I could collect my belongings,” the woman told the court.
The man then drove her to a villa in the Al Rashidiya area – which turned out to be his mother’s home – and lured the woman into a room.
Records show that he then ripped off her clothes and tried to rape her as she resisted him.
He grabbed her mobile phone from her, so she could not call for help, then began hitting her. He banged her head against the floor, choked her and hit her with a broom stick before throwing her to the ground.
Eventually the man gave up, opened the door and told her to leave. The woman ran out and called police.
Police arrested the defendant on February 8 as he was leaving a pub.
“During questioning, he said he asked the woman for sex and she agreed but later she started to scream and then got dressed and left for no reason,” said an Emirati policeman.
Forensic experts said the bruises on the woman's story were consistent with her version of what happened.
In court last April, the defendant denied charges of physical assault and attempted rape.
On Tuesday, he was convicted and sentenced to a year in prison and fined Dh21,000 in compensation to be paid to his victim. He was also ordered to pay Dh500 in legal fees.
