A British electrician has been sentenced to three months in prison in Dubai for touching a man's hip in a bar, according to campaigners.
Jamie Harron, from Stirling, Scotland, was arrested in July over the incident in which he said he put his hand on businessman Emad Tabaza's hip to avoid spilling a drink in a crowded bar.
The 27-year-old electrician had been working in Afghanistan and was on a two-day stopover in the United Arab Emirates at the time.
His accuser dropped the complaint, but local prosecutors decided to proceed with the case.
After his arrest for public indecency Mr Harron lost his job and was told he could have faced up to three years in jail.
Campaign group Detained in Dubai (DiD) said he was sentenced to three months imprisonment at court on Sunday but lawyers plan to appeal.
He is not currently in custody, but did not appear in court. His lawyer represented him at the sentencing and they have two weeks to appeal the decision.
The group said Mr Harron is 'angry, disappointed, and dreads what may happen next'.
Mr Harron has already been sentenced in absentia to 30 days in prison for failing to appear at a court hearing for making a rude gesture and drinking alcohol during the same July incident.
His sister today revealed that Mr Harron had his garage broken into at his home in Scotland.
Writing on Facebook, Jordan Harron said: 'So to add to Jamie's ordeal. His garage has now been broken into with a saw, things stolen one of which his good bike! Police been phoned but can everyone please share!!'
So to add to Jamie's ordeal. His garage has now been broken into with a saw, things stolen one of which his good bike! Police been phoned but can everyone please share!! Find out who this low life scum is !!
In relation to the alleged public indecency charge, Mr Harron is said to have been holding a drink, moving through a crowded bar and held a hand in front of him to avoid spilling it on himself or others. He then 'touched a man [Mr Tabaza] on his hip to avoid impact'.
He was initially jailed for five days and then released on bail with his passport confiscated.
Mr Tabaza, the managing director of global technology firm Neuman & Esser, is said to have received death threats following the incident.
A spokesman for Neuman & Esser confirmed Mr Tabaza dropped the complaint.
In a statement issued on behalf of the businessman, he said: 'With a certain distance from the incident and the punishment to be expected for the suspect, our employee decided to withdraw the complaint despite the harassment having been confirmed by several witnesses.
'However, according to the typical laws for the country, this does not automatically result in the termination of the proceedings as, for example, very likely in England or Germany.'
