Dubai: A detainee lost his appeal and was ordered to pay Dh44,600 towards repairs for the damages he caused by deliberately starting a fire at a detention centre after being banned from smoking.

The 31-year-old detainee intentionally set his mattress on fire at the police detention centre where he was being held in April 2014, thus putting the lives of other detainees at risk.

The accused used a lighter to set his mattress on fire and left it in the dining section before he threatened to set the entire police station on fire if he was not given cigarettes.

The defendant’s face was caught on CCTV cameras as he attempted to use newspapers to cover the lens before starting the fire.

In July, the Dubai Court of First Instance jailed the accused for six months over arson, posing a risk to the lives of detainees and police personnel at the detention centre, threatening policemen and cursing them. He was also convicted of wrecking the detention centre on purpose and ordered him to pay for the repairs.

The accused appealed his primary ruling before the Appeal Court, which dismissed his appeal on Sunday.

Presiding judge Eisa Al Sharif said the accused will have to pay for the repairs and serve his jail term.

The defendant damaged the premises and threatened the policemen present there by saying “if you do not get me cigarettes, I will burn the detention centre in the morning,” according to records.

The Emirati pleaded not guilty and rejected the accusations brought against him before the appellate court.

A police lieutenant testified that he was the duty officer when a colleague informed him that the dining section of the police station was on fire at 4pm.

“I rushed towards the fire scene and discovered that the dining section was completely gutted. Upon checking the surveillance cameras, it was discovered that the suspect had covered the CCTV cameras with newspapers before he set the mattress ablaze. The defendant had constantly threatened to set the place on fire if he was not given food and cigarettes,” the lieutenant told prosecutors.

Sunday’s ruling remains subject to appeal before the Cassation Court within 30 days.