Picture for illustrative purposes only. ARCHIVE

A 19-year-old Emirati has been fined Dh1,000 for violating public decency laws after leaving an offensive handwritten note on a woman’s car in a public parking lot near Port Rashid. The incident, which occurred on November 10, 2023, began when the woman, also Emirati, parked her white Mercedes and entered a nearby café with her husband. Approximately an hour later, the husband discovered the note on the car windshield. The note contained language deemed inappropriate and offensive. The husband immediately photographed the note and alerted his wife, who reported the matter to Dubai Police. Authorities promptly launched an investigation. Through surveillance footage, investigators identified the suspect, a young man driving a vehicle registered in Abu Dhabi. Police contacted the teen, who admitted to placing the note on the car. During questioning, the teen claimed he intended the note as a joke and did not know the car’s owner. "I thought it would be funny, but I didn’t think about the consequences," he reportedly told officers. However, he left the scene before seeing any reaction from the car’s occupants. In court proceedings, the defendant pleaded guilty to the charges. His lawyer presented evidence of a reconciliation agreement between him and the complainant. Despite this, the court emphasized that the offence was a breach of public decency laws and could not be dismissed. The Dubai Criminal Court cited Federal Law No. 31 of 2021, which penalizes acts that violate public decency. However, the court took into account the defendant’s young age and expressed remorse, opting for a lenient penalty. ICA/Expat Media
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