Dubai: Four ordered to pay Dh400,000 after violent home break-in

Dubai: A Dubai civil court has ordered four men convicted of storming a home and assaulting its occupant to jointly pay Dh400,000 in compensation to the victim, in addition to legal interest, court fees and expenses.

According to court records, the defendants went to the victim’s residence late at night after making preparations and arming themselves with sharp tools and a canister of tear gas. 

They attacked the man inside his home, causing injuries that left him unable to attend to his personal affairs for more than 20 days, as confirmed by a medical report submitted to the court, Emarat Al Youm reported. 

The assault was accompanied by a serious breach of the sanctity of the home. The defendants damaged property during the incident, including breaking iron gates and destroying surveillance cameras. As a result, the victim and his family were forced to leave the house and stay in hotels until repair work was completed.

A criminal court had previously convicted the four men over the incident, sentencing them to imprisonment and fines. That ruling was upheld on appeal and became final, giving it binding evidential force before the civil court in establishing the wrongful act and attributing it to the defendants.

The victim subsequently filed a civil lawsuit seeking Dh4 million in damages for physical, material and moral harm, citing medical expenses, repair costs, temporary accommodation and the psychological impact of the attack on himself and his family.

In its judgment, the civil court said civil liability is established when fault, damage and a causal link between them are proven. It noted that the final criminal judgment had already determined the occurrence of the offence and the defendants’ responsibility, leaving no room to re-litigate those issues in the civil proceedings.

The court added that the harm extended beyond material losses to include moral damage, given the fear and distress caused by the late-night invasion of the home and the assault within the private living space.

In assessing compensation, the court said it has discretionary authority to determine an amount that adequately redresses the harm without excess. It set the compensation at Dh400,000, ordering the defendants to pay jointly, with interest at five per cent per year from the date the judgment becomes final until full settlement, along with legal costs and lawyers’ fees.