Dubai: An Emirati student was sentenced to one year in jail for slapping a Saudi Arabian man and leaving him deaf, the Dubai Court of First Instance heard on Wednesday.
The 21-year-old student caused 65 per cent permanent disability to the victim in a fight outside a nightclub in Barsha after the latter bumped into the accused at around 1.30am last June.
“I was drinking [liquor] and then left the place,” said the Emirati. “While I was walking out he bumped me on the shoulder. I just slapped him and he fell to the ground.”
The defendant tried to help the unresponsive man and asked the man’s brothers who were present to call ambulance but no one did.
“He regained consciousness after a while and his brothers started helping him, I still asked them to call for an ambulance but they wouldn’t,” he added.
The 36-year-old victim was eventually taken to hospital, where he slipped into a coma because of an internal bleeding in the brain.
According to a medical report, the victim had to undergo surgery to stop the bleeding.
The victim was discharged from hospital a few weeks after the assault, but was left with a permanent disability estimated at 65 per cent.
He lost his hearing, and is unable to keep his balance. He also was left with a weaker skull.
