A Pakistani vendor in the UAE has been jailed for three months after groping an Emirati woman as she was getting her abaya fitted.
The vile incident took place back in March at a shop in the residential area of Naif. The woman immediately reported the man to the police at the time.
When approached by authorities, the vendor said he "had touched her by mistake while taking her measurements to fit her abaya," according to Gulf News.
The Dubai Court of First Instance charged the defendant with sexual assault.
According to the initial ruling, the man will be deported after serving his jail term.
The defendant's lawyer insisted the man did not intend to inappropriately touch the woman.
"She walked into his shop to buy an abaya. While he was taking her measurements, he mistakenly touched her top. He did not intend to do so," the lawyer said, according to Gulf News.
The court ruling remains subject to appeal.
Not the first case of its kind
In August, a Dubai-based taxi driver was put on trial for allegedly sexually harassing a female passenger.
The 29-year-old Pakistani driver was accused of inappropriately touching the victim, who was sitting in the front seat of the vehicle, going as far as hitting her "on her rear."
Sharing details of the horrific assault, the woman said:
"He began asking me personal questions. He suddenly put his hand on me. I asked him to stop but he said he wanted to feel the muscles of my leg. He kept touching me."
Sexual harassment in the UAE
In 2010, more than half of Emirati women questioned in a survey said they would not report sexual assault or rape to police.
This is probably due to the fact that there exists no special legislation in the country protecting individuals from sexual harassment.
However, the country's Penal Code does incriminate any "scandalous and disgraceful act."
In fact, Articles 358 and 359 of the penal code provide clear-cut laws when it comes to certain incidents.
Article 358:
"Whoever openly commits an indecent and disgraceful act shall be punished by detention for a period of at least six months. Whoever commits a disgraceful act with a girl or boy who has not completed fifteen years of age even if it is not committed openly, shall be punished by detention for at least a period of one year."
Article 359:
"Whoever attempts to disgrace a female by words or by deeds in a public street or frequented place, shall be punished by detention for a period not exceeding one year and by a fine not exceeding ten thousand dirhams or by either of these two penalties. The same penalty shall apply to any man who disguises himself in a woman's clothing and enters a place the entry into which is reserved for women. If a man in such a case commits a crime, it shall be considered an aggravating circumstance."