Tapping policewoman on the shoulder lands tourist in prison

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – A tourist has been convicted of molestation after tapping a policewoman on the shoulder to get her attention.

The Kazakh national, aged 49, was handed a three-month jail sentence yesterday along with a Dhs2,000 fine for assaulting another officer by pushing him.

Dubai Court of First Instance ordered the man to be deported on his release from prison.

Earlier, prosecutors told the court that the man explained he had been looking for directions at Dubai Mall Metro Station on December 2 at around 4pm.

He approached the police officer, who was speaking to other people, and tapped her on the shoulder.

The 21-year-old Emirati officer testified: “He asked me about the location of Dubai Mall and I pointed in the direction. I asked him why he touched me and he answered in his own language, which I didn’t understand.”

The officer said the tourist then touched her hand and she became angry, telling him to follow her to a nearby police post, but he refused.

“Two policemen came and asked him to come to the post and he resisted, pushing them away,” she said. “He even tried to touch me again but the policemen stopped him.”

One of the male officers, a 22-year-old Emirati, said he intervened after hearing the policewoman telling the tourist not to touch her.

He said: “I asked him to come with me, but he refused and pushed me. I restrained him with my colleague.”

The court heard that CCTV footage showed the defendant speaking with the policewoman and touching her arm.