The photo has been used for illustrative purposes.

Hamza M Sengendo, Staff Reporter

A construction site labourer who tried to kidnap a 4-year-old boy from a Dubai street will spend six months behind bars, a jury decided on Tuesday.

The Asian defendant, 32, snatched the Arab boy at around 6pm on Feb.21. He pressed the boy’s face against his chest to stop him from resisting and suppress his screams for help. He dashed with him inside an alley.

The boy’s aunt ran after him and forced him to place the boy down. He denied the attempted kidnap charge during court questioning. The Dubai Criminal Court sentenced him to six months in prison plus deportation.

On the record, the Tunisian aunt, 34, narrated that she was with the boy and his 3-year-old sister at the playground of a residential complex in Al Barsha when the boy rode his bike to the end of the playground.

“He rode through pathways near a building under construction. I followed him to bring him back.

“The defendant suddenly showed up from the building, grabbed him, pressed his face against his chest and ran away with him.    

“I shouted at him. He did not stop. He fled until inside a nearby alley. I chased him while shouting. A watchman followed pursuit. We were about to reach him when he placed the boy down. The boy was very scared.

“The watchman seized the defendant. I asked him why he had run away with the boy. He claimed the latter poured water at the construction site.”

The defendant managed to flee the scene before police could arrive.

Meanwhile, the aunt having photographed him with her mobile phone provided police with his photo. A Yemeni policeman said, “I apprehended him in the neighbourhood. He was under the influence of alcohol.

“He denied having tried to kidnap the boy. He argued that the boy poured a bucket of water at his workplace. And that he only shouted at him and chased him away. The aunt testified against him,” said the policeman.