Man drops complaint against Dubai indecency accused

Jamie Harron described his situation as "just unbelievable"

The man who accused a Scot of touching his hip in a bar in Dubai - leaving the 27-year-old facing three years in jail - has dropped the complaint against him.

Jamie Harron, 27, from Stirling, was arrested for public indecency in July.

He said he put his hand on the man's hip to avoid spilling his drink.

The businessman who made the complaint is understood to have dropped it after realising the punishment Mr Harron is facing.

In a statement released to media, the businessman's employer Neuman & Esser 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."

Jamie Harron is said to have admitted drinking alcohol at the Rock Bottom Bar but denied making a rude gesture

In a separate charge, Mr Harron was sentenced to 30 days in prison, fined, and ordered to be deported for drinking alcohol and "making a rude gesture".

The public indecency case will next call in court on 22 October.

According to a spokesman for Detained in Dubai, Mr Harron admitted drinking alcohol at the Rock Bottom Bar party spot after being arrested on 15 July but denied making a rude gesture.

His lawyers have submitted an appeal.

'Just unbelievable'

In relation to the alleged public indecency charge, Mr Harron is said to have been holding a drink, moving through the crowded bar and held a hand in front of him to avoid spilling it on himself or others.

He then "touched a man on his hip to avoid impact".

Police arrived at the scene "20 to 30" minutes later and arrested Mr Harron, according to his representatives.

He was then said to have been charged with public indecency, locked up for five days in Al Barsha prison, then released after bail with his passport confiscated.

Mr Harron had been working as an electrician in Afghanistan and was on a two-day stopover in Dubai when the incident happened.

He has since lost his job and has spent more than £30,000 in expenses and legal fees, having already been stuck there for three months.

Lost job

Mr Harron, who is not currently in custody, said his situation was "just unbelievable."

In a statement released through the campaign group Detained in Dubai, he said: "I'm still in shock that it's actually happened."

"I hope it can be sorted out but I already didn't think it would have went on for so many months in the first place.

"I have lost my job, I'm in debt now, I may be going to prison, and all this for a two-day stopover?"

Mr Harron said his legal team are appealing the 30-day sentence, which was issued in his absence and which "me and my lawyer didn't even know about in the first place."

A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesman said: "We have been in contact with a British man following his arrest in Dubai in July.

"We are providing consular assistance."