DUBAI // Two men spotted fondling each other in a parked car near a beach in Jumeirah were today sentenced to three months in prison each to be followed by deportation.
Police arrested the beauty salon receptionist RS, a 27-year-old Filipino, and AA, a 32-year-old Omani, shortly after 3am on April 9 after being tipped off by an eagle-eyed member of the public.
AK, a 48-year-old Emirati, said that she became suspicious of a car that had parked in front of her house, which is near to the beach. "When the driver saw me he moved his car next to our neighbour's boat," she said. She then sneaked up on the car to get a closer look, using nearby trees as cover, but the driver spotted her again and moved the vehicle once more. "I felt suspicious and called the police," said the woman.
The beauty salon receptionist - who is homosexual - said that he and his friend were driving around in the Omani's Camry when they decided to stop by the beach and take a walk. He said that when they returned to the car he asked his friend to teach him how to drive.
"He tried to kiss me on the cheek but I stopped him because we were in a public place," said the beauty salon receptionist. He admitted to prosecutors that had the pair of them been in a private place, he would not have hesitated to have sex with him.
However, his Omani friend claimed the salon receptionist initiated the sexual contact. He said that the beauty salon receptionist tried to touch his genitals but that he pushed him away. "I confess that I felt like having sex with [RS] but I did not because I was scared he would be HIV positive," he said.
The Omani then masturbated, but received a shock when he noticed an Emirati woman staring at him through the car window.
The two men had been friends for about five months after meeting on the internet.
salamir@thenational.ae