10.04 AM Tuesday, 19 March 2024
  • City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
  • Dubai 05:07 06:20 12:29 15:54 18:33 19:47
19 March 2024

Cabbie gropes teen girl, claims he was joking

A taxi driver who allegedly groped a 17-year-old girl college student claimed that he was only joking. (Supplied)

Published
By Eman Al Baik

A taxi driver who allegedly groped a 17-year-old girl college student claimed that he was only joking, the Dubai Criminal Court heard.

At around 10pm, after JM, Brazilian, finished her academic day in her college at Global Village, she went out and stopped a taxi to go back home.

“I sat on the back seat and the driver started asking me some personal questions including whether I have a boyfriend and my nationality. I answered his questions. When he reached Dubai Police Academy, he stopped and asked me to sit on the front seat.. Initially, I refused and apologised to him but when he insisted I agreed and moved to the front seat. Because I was next to him, he started groping my legs.

“I put my bag between me and him and told him he should not do that. He told me that it was only a joke and that he did not mean anything bad,” said the student.

However, the taxi driver did not stop and pinched the girl.

“I got very scared and phoned my mother and told her that I am in a taxi and that I will reach home after 5 minutes. When I finished the call, he groped my breast, so I put both my hands on my chest. He asked me to remove my hands but I refused. When I noticed the car’s details in the glass, I noted them down and asked the driver to stop near a supermarket to buy some things. He stopped and got off the car and while doing so he bit my lower back and pinched me. I rushed into the supermarket and stayed there for more than 10 minutes until he left,” said the student.

The girl returned home crying and weeping. She told her mother what happened and the mother lodged a complaint with the police.

Criminal Evidences reported redness in the girl’s lower back.

Police arrested the taxi driver, AH, 31, and the girl recognised him when shown to her via identification parade.

The driver denied groping the girl and claimed that he was only joking.

The court will give its sentence next month.