Jealous husband 'assaulted flirting taxi driver', hears Dubai court

Jealous husband assaulted a taxi driver who flirted with his wife, hears court.

DUBAI // A jealous husband assaulted a taxi driver who flirted with his wife, a court heard.

The Dubai Court of Misdemeanours heard that FM a 38-year-old Syrian taxi driver, arrived at a building in Al Nahda 1 at dawn of December 1 last year after responding to a pickup order. He saw a woman and asked her for directions to the building he was looking for.

"I saw a car parking and a couple and their child got out of it so I asked the wife in English. She pointed at the building with her hand and I asked her to confirm to me the building's name," said the taxi driver.

He said that the woman's husband, HA, a 31-year-old Egyptian engineer, then started insulting him in Arabic. "When I told him I was an Arab and asked why was he insulting me he told me to get lost or he would step on me with his boots," said the taxi driver.

He said the husband told him he was an RTA inspector, and threatened to inspect his vehicle.

"He threw his key chain on me," said the taxi driver, who then called police.

But before the police arrived one of the husband's relatives arrived and assaulted the taxi driver. "He banged my head on a wall and twisted my arm even though I told him I had a twisted shoulder," said the taxi driver.

The wife NM, a 26-year-old Egyptian, said the taxi driver said "good evening, honey" to her. She said her husband then told her to take their child and go to their apartment. "I don't know what happened next," she said.

The husband said that the taxi driver flirted with his wife thinking that she was alone. "I heard him say: 'why don't you answer me honey'," said the husband.

He said he only asked the taxi driver if he had been drinking liquor. When the taxi driver began to drive away he told him to wait until the police arrived.

"I threw my key chain at him and he refused to give it back," said the husband, who claimed the driver insulted him saying: "Go away you son of a bitch."

He said that the driver then hit him on his back and shoulder.

Both the husband and the taxi driver were charged with assault. Both denied the charge.

The next hearing was scheduled for September 3.