DUBAI // A Frenchman who taped a small camera to the bottom of a paper bag then used it to film up women’s skirts at a mall was sentenced to six months in jail.
H R, a 39-year-old operations manager, was convicted by Dubai Criminal Court of sexual assault against several unidentified women. He denied all charges in court last September, telling judges: “I have never done this and I did not see any of these pictures in my camera – I have never taken such pictures.”
But on May 8 last year the Frenchman was seen by a shop’s supervisor at Mall of the Emirates standing very close to women wearing short skirts.
“I spotted him standing so close to a woman wearing a short skirt then saw him placing a paper bag carefully between the woman’s legs from behind,” said Pakistani supervisor K S, 26.
“I felt it was strange and kept looking. I saw him do the same to another woman standing near the first one and also wearing a skirt.”
The supervisor thought his actions were suspicious so informed a security guard. “The guard then headed to the man and asked him what he was doing,” said K S.
“I saw him as the guard was walking towards him, picking up the bag and taking a small object from its bottom then hiding it in his pocket.
“The guard saw him, too. I heard the guard asking him about the object he hid in his pocket, then saw the man handing the guard a small camera.”
A Dubai Police forensics report said that the camera was found to have recordings of women’s private parts, as well as 23 deleted files of similar recordings and 22 others of an obscene nature, which the defendant allegedly confessed to having recorded.
The report also found 293 deleted recordings of women in public places, some of which were of women’s intimate parts while others were of women walking around.
Prosecutors said the Frenchman confessed during investigations to filming women without their knowledge but he denied the charges in court.
He will be deported after completing the jail sentence.
salamir@thenational.ae
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MATCH INFO
West Ham United 2 (Antonio 73', Ogbonna 90 5')
Tottenham Hotspur 3 (Son 36', Moura 42', Kane 49')
The past Palme d'Or winners
2018 Shoplifters, Hirokazu Kore-eda
2017 The Square, Ruben Ostlund
2016 I, Daniel Blake, Ken Loach
2015 Dheepan, Jacques Audiard
2014 Winter Sleep (Kış Uykusu), Nuri Bilge Ceylan
2013 Blue is the Warmest Colour (La Vie d'Adèle: Chapitres 1 et 2), Abdellatif Kechiche, Adele Exarchopoulos and Lea Seydoux
2012 Amour, Michael Haneke
2011 The Tree of Life, Terrence Malick
2010 Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (Lung Bunmi Raluek Chat), Apichatpong Weerasethakul
2009 The White Ribbon (Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte), Michael Haneke
2008 The Class (Entre les murs), Laurent Cantet
THE SPECS
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Engine: 3.6L V-6
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 310hp
Torque: 367Nm
Price: Dh280,000
THE BIG THREE
NOVAK DJOKOVIC
19 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 5 (2011, 14, 15, 18, 19)
French Open: 2 (2016, 21)
US Open: 3 (2011, 15, 18)
Australian Open: 9 (2008, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21)
Prize money: $150m
ROGER FEDERER
20 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 8 (2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09, 12, 17)
French Open: 1 (2009)
US Open: 5 (2004, 05, 06, 07, 08)
Australian Open: 6 (2004, 06, 07, 10, 17, 18)
Prize money: $130m
RAFAEL NADAL
20 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 2 (2008, 10)
French Open: 13 (2005, 06, 07, 08, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20)
US Open: 4 (2010, 13, 17, 19)
Australian Open: 1 (2009)
Prize money: $125m
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FIGHT CARD
1. Featherweight 66kg
Ben Lucas (AUS) v Ibrahim Kendil (EGY)
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Mohammed Kareem Aljnan (SYR) v Alphonse Besala (CMR)
3. Welterweight 77kg
Marcos Costa (BRA) v Abdelhakim Wahid (MAR)
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Omar Ramadan (EGY) v Abdimitalipov Atabek (KGZ)
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Ahmed Al Darmaki (UAE) v Kagimu Kigga (UGA)
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Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) v Iuri Fraga (BRA)
7. Featherweight 66kg
Yousef Al Husani (UAE) v Mohamed Allam (EGY)
8. Catchweight 73kg
Mostafa Radi (PAL) v Abdipatta Abdizhali (KGZ)
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Jaures Dea (CMR) v Andre Pinheiro (BRA)
10. Catchweight 90kg
Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Juscelino Ferreira (BRA)
THE TWIN BIO
Their favourite city: Dubai
Their favourite food: Khaleeji
Their favourite past-time : walking on the beach
Their favorite quote: ‘we rise by lifting others’ by Robert Ingersoll
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The bio
Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.
Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.
Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.
Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.