Abu Dhabi court slaps Dh100k penalty for child assault in public

Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court has handed down a hefty penalty to a man who verbally and physically assaulted a child in public.

He has been ordered to pay Dh100,000 in damages.

According to court documents, the defendant insulted and struck the minor while also making obscene gestures.

The judges noted that the incident left the child with both physical injuries and emotional scars.

Because the assault happened in full view of others, the court ruled, the child suffered public humiliation.

This exposure, they added, left the victim vulnerable to bullying and ridicule beyond the incident itself.

The decision sends a clear message: violence and harassment against children carry serious consequences.

Authorities stressed that protecting minors’ dignity and safety remains a top priority in the UAE’s justice system.

The child's father had requested that the court compel the defendant to cover damages as well as legal fees and related costs.

Court decision

In its decision, the court cited Article 282 of the UAE Civil Transactions Law, which holds any party who causes harm to another, even if not fully competent, liable for damages. 

The judgment explained that civil liability rests on three elements: the commission of an unlawful act, the occurrence of actual damage, and a causal link between the two. Simply committing the harmful act is not enough; demonstrable injury must result, and compensation is calculated in line with the proven damage.

“The civil liability does not arise from the wrongful act alone,” the ruling noted, “but from the harm that ensues and its direct connection to the fault.”