Dubai tea boy 'groped colleague', court hears

DUBAI // An employee at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs groped a female colleague after showing her a pornographic video on his mobile phone, a court heard today.

Prosecutors told the Criminal Court that MP, a 32-year-old Bangladeshi, approached his 21-year-old Emirati colleague as she sat at the operator's booth in the ministry's Dubai office on May 29.

The woman testified that the man came into the booth and asked if she wanted a cup of tea before closing the door behind him. He then tried to show her a pornographic video recording on his mobile phone.

"I told him I didn't want to see the recording but he played it anyway," said the woman, who added that the man then grabbed her abaya and dragged her towards him before groping her.

"He then apologised to me and asked me not to tell anyone about what just happened" said the woman.

Two days later the woman told a female co-worker, MA, about what had happened. The co-worker then spoke to the man to ask for his side of the story. "He did not respond to my questions when I asked him what happened and there were tears in his eyes," said the co-worker.

The two women then told their manager who informed the police.

The man was charged with sexual assault and with possessing pornographic recordings. He denied both.

A verdict is expected on October 8.