Friend Backs British Woman's Allegation of Gang Rape by Iranians in Dubai

The French friend of the 28-year-old British woman has given her testimony at the Dubai Court of First Instance backing the allegations that the Briton was gang-raped by three Iranians.

The British woman was alleged to have been sexually assaulted by three men in Dubai after she was tricked and drugged in a nightclub in early December.

The French woman told the court during her 90-minute testimony: "When she woke me up in the morning, she alleged to me that she was unaware of what was happening at first. Her memory was blacking out for short periods. She could remember bits and pieces of what happened and that she suffered severe pain in her rectum. She also claimed to me that while someone raped her, another person filmed the abuse," said the witness before adding: "She claimed that somebody drugged her by spiking her drink. She has never got drunk since she started drinking."

The Briton and the French woman said the victim was not drunk as she had had only three glasses of wine.

She believes that her friend was raped by the men one at a time repeatedly for more than five times, according to Gulf News.

Although the defendants deny any wrongdoing, the woman says she was forcibly taken to an apartment overnight and regained consciousness only the next day morning.

"I stopped realising what was happening around me. I only regained my consciousness around 6:30 the next morning. I felt severe pain in my private parts because one of the suspects had bizarre sex with me. I tried to stop them. One of them was also filming while the others raped me. I went to a friend of mine who took me to the police," said the victim during the private hearing of the court.

Two of the charged men, who have been identified as YJ and AK, pleaded not guilty. A third suspect is said to be at large. "We did not kidnap her or have sex with her against her will," said AK.

The Pakistani taxi-driver who was driving the girl was also called as witness. He told the court that the woman was drunk and was lying in the back seat of the car. The court will have its next hearing in the coming month. The incident could spark an international outcry given the horrific nature of the crime.