Cleaner accused of sexually assaulting young girl

Incident happened inside child's home, court hears

A cleaner in Dubai has been charged with sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl inside her family’s apartment.

The incident happened on June 1 after the child’s mother told her to leave their building’s shared swimming pool and go home for lunch.

As the youngster headed to a lift, she was followed by the Indian accused, 23, all the way to her home.

Once inside, he locked the door and the two began talking. Minutes later, he dragged the girl to an emergency stairwell and assaulted her, Dubai Criminal Court heard.

"I walked into the flat but I didn’t notice he was following me," the girl said. "I was upset that my mother had sent me back home so he chatted with me about that and hugged me."

The man then led the girl back to her flat shortly before her mother arrived home.

"I rang the bell because the door was locked," she said. "My daughter opened the door and the accused was there in the flat with her."

When she questioned why he was in their home, the accused insisted he was a maintenance worker.

"I told him that was not true and called police," the mother told the court. "He pushed me out of his way and fled."

The man was arrested and charged with sexually assaulting the girl. A verdict in the case is expected later this month.