Dubai A waiter has admitted that he got very drunk before he trespassed into his ex-girlfriend’s residence and set her shoe and bed on fire because she ditched him.

The 26-year-old Indian waiter, A.R., was said to have gone on a drinking binge all night long before he trespassed into his Filipina ex-girlfriend’s house and set her shoe and bed on fire after she broke up with him in October.

“I did it… but I was too drunk and not aware of what I did. I was not even aware that I had started a fire,” argued A.R. when he entered his plea before the Dubai Court of First Instance on Tuesday.

Records said the defendant and the Filipina receptionist worked in the same hotel at Jumeirah Palm.

According to the charge sheet, prosecutors accused the waiter of secretly entering a women-only place [the female staff residence at the hotel] and deliberately setting fire to the waitress’s shoe and bed.

He was also charged with endangering the life of a Filipina waitress [who was sleeping], wrecking private belongings worth Dh200, and causing damage to hotel properties worth Dh2,100 and consuming liquor.

“Did you start the fire deliberately? And did you know that you endangered a person’s life?” presiding judge Mohammad Jamal asked the suspect.

“I did that but it was unintentional. I was too drunk and did not realise what I did. I don’t even remember that I started a fire. Sir, I did wreck the claimant’s belongings, but I have already paid for the damages. I went there to see my ex-girlfriend,” replied A.R.

The receptionist testified to prosecutors that the residence’s supervisor informed her over the phone that her room had been set on fire.

“I rushed to my room and discovered that the fire had been put out. I discovered that the suspect had set my shoe and bed on fire… the fire spread to the bed, the walls and the curtains. My colleague [the waitress] was sleeping when the fire started. She woke up once the fire alarm rang,” claimed the receptionist.

Meanwhile the waitress claimed to prosecutors: “I opened my eyes when the fire alarm rang. When I saw my roommate’s bed on fire, I rushed out of the room because it was full of smoke. I was scared of getting burnt.”

An Egyptian security supervisor testified to prosecutors that the suspect told him that he had started the fire when he was very drunk.

Police arrested the defendant and referred him to the Public Prosecution.

The waiter was cited admitting to prosecutors: “I went drinking with one of my friends. We consumed alcohol in two different hotels, then I returned to my residence [provided by the hotel where he worked]. I sneaked into the women’s residence through the laundry room’s window that is constantly open. I went up to my ex-girlfriend’s room and put her shoe on the bed. Then I used my lighter to set it on fire.”

A ruling will be heard on February 8.