UK man faces Dubai court after touching man's hip at bar

A Scottish man who touched a man’s hip at a Dubai bar has appeared in court to face public indecency charges.

Jamie Harron, from Stirling, was arrested and spent five days in jail in July after the incident at the Rock Bottom Bar.

The 27-year-old electrician claims he was moving through the crowded club and inadvertently touched the man when he put his hand out so he would not “bump and spill the drinks” he was carrying.

Mr Harron had been visiting Dubai for a two-day stopover after working in Afghanistan.

His passport was confiscated during his arrest and he has been forced to remain in Dubai for the past three months.

Mr Harron was summoned to appear in court on Sunday and had expected to be rearrested for failing to attend a previous court date, a spokeswoman for the charity, Detained in Dubai, told the BBC.

However, the court did not order Mr Harron’s arrest, but told him he was required to stay in the country while the case was ongoing.

"Jamie is relieved he wasn't arrested at the latest hearing. It was expected that he would have to spend some time in prison," Radha Stirling, chief executive of Detained in Dubai, said.

Mr Harron reportedly told the charity he had been sacked from his job as a result of his detainment in Dubai and had so far spent almost $54,000 for his defence.

Ms Stirling said the next court date was expected in about two weeks.