Jail term reduced for Dubai pilot who locked woman in his apartment

DUBAI // A 28-year-old pilot jailed for locking up a woman against her will in his apartment has had his sentence reduced after appeal.

SA, American, was initially sentenced to one year in prison to be followed by deportation for locking up his Bahraini friend, HA, 23, on October 4 last year at his home in Mirdif.

After the sentence was issued, SA contested the verdict and the court accepted his application. After studying the case and new evidence submitted by his lawyer, the court reduced the sentence to six months and removed his deportation order.

The new evidence included a medical report that stated he was undergoing psychotherapy at the time of the incident and was taking medication.

SA was not present in court for the new verdict and was sentenced in absentia.

HA told prosecutors that she visited SA to pick up a receipt she needed to collect her passport from Al Rashidiya police station after she had been involved in a traffic accident.

SA let her into the apartment, but as she looked for the receipt he took her car keys and mobile phone and left, locking the door behind him.

HA said that SA locked her in the flat because she had raised her voice at him. She screamed for help from a window and was only released when police arrived.

The defendant was later arrested in Abu Dhabi while driving HA's car.

salamir@thenational.ae