Maid convicted of sexual assault on girl, 5, has prison sentence upheld

The domestic worker molested the child at the Dubai home of her employer

A housemaid who sexually assaulting a young child in her care has had her one-year prison sentence upheld.

The domestic worker, 27, from the Philippines, touched the five-year-old girl inappropriately at the home of her employer.

The mother of the victim alerted police on February 7 of this year after her daughter told her of the maid's actions.

She said the defendant had worked for the family at their home in Al Muraqqabat, Dubai, for 18 months, often looking after the victim and her sibling when she was away studying.

The woman, 26, said she confronted the maid, who admitted carrying out the offence.

She was handed a 12-month jail term after being convicted of sexual assault at Dubai Criminal Court earlier this year.

Prosecutors lodged an appeal against the court's decision and called for a harsher sentence.

The plea was rejected during a hearing at Dubai Court of Appeal on Tuesday.

The maid will be deported after serving her sentence.