Dubai: A man faces three years in jail after a court yesterday convicted him of attempting to blackmail an Emirati woman, demanding that she marry him or pay him Dh250,000 to leave her alone.

If she did not, the man threatened to publish her photos and intimate messages she had sent to him.

The man's threat followed a marriage proposal to the woman, which her parents rejected.

The Dubai Court of First Instance sentenced the 34-year-old man, who doesn't carry personal identification documents, in absentia to three years in jail.

The Emirati woman told prosecutors that 34-year-old N.A. tried to blackmail her into marrying him or paying him Dh250,000.

This was after she ended their five-year relationship because her family was against her marrying a non-Emirati.

Presiding Judge Fahmi Mounir said the man would be deported after serving his punishment.

Prosecutors charged N.A. with blackmail and extortion after he threatened to publish the 31-year-old woman's photos and intimate SMSs and e-mails.

The accused was sentenced in absentia because he failed to attend his trial, although he was notified about the hearing.

The woman, who is a director in a government department, testified that she became acquainted with N.A. over the internet through a marriage-matching website in 2005.

"He claimed that he was an Emirati. We chatted and exchanged contact numbers. Our relationship developed [and] we exchanged intimate and love messages and we also exchanged photos.

True colours

"Our love affair lasted two years and I asked to break up with him when I discovered that he was a non-Emirati.

"I asked to end the relationship because my parents would not allow me to marry a non-Emirati.

"He got outraged and questioned me on how could I ask to break up with him after two years of love… however, the relationship continued because I loved him so much.

"I used to help him morally and financially. I convinced him to pursue his postgraduate studies and assisted him financially.

"Later, my parents rejected his engagement proposal... so then I asked to break up with him because we were destined not to marry," the woman said.

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