British tourist accused of kidnap plot

A 36-year-old British tourist is accused of kidnapping a man and locking him up in an effort to reclaim money he was owed, a court has heard.

Prosecutors told Dubai Criminal Court that the accused enticed his victim to fly out to Dubai from an unknown country before taking him to a hotel room and refusing to let him leave.

During the 24-hour ordeal, the defendant allegedly threatened to kill the man unless he handed over money or agreed to give up ownership of a real estate unit in Dubai.

He was later arrested after the victim's brother - who was also threatened by the defendant in a phone call - alerted police.

“I met a woman online about six months before the incident but I later discovered it was the defendant,” the victim told the court in a statement.

“He took me to a hotel room where I was told I'd be held hostage until my brother paid a ransom from the UK.

“The kidnapper said my brother owed him money and unless he paid him back, I would be killed. He then called my bother and told him exactly the same thing."

The incident happened in a hotel room in the Al Qusais area of Dubai on June 3 this year.

Officers were called to the scene after the victim's brother contacted a relative living in Dubai and told him to phone the police.

“We arrested the defendant at the hotel's reception and he admitted he'd posed as a woman to lure the victim into the country and force his brother to pay for his release,” an officer told the court.

The defendant, who has not been named, denies kidnapping and issuing death threats. He told the hearing: “It's not true - I didn't lock him up.

"I politely asked him and his bother to give me my money back.”

The case was adjourned until August 12.