Dubai: A Dubai-based man was found guilty of attacking his neighbour after a dispute broke out between the two over the defendant’s cat and the victim’s dog.
According to Dubai Courts, the defendant, while chasing his cat down the street outside his home in Dubai’s Mirdif area, had passed by the victim who was walking his dog. The defendant claimed that he had heard the victim tell his dog that “The cat is afraid of you, dog”. He admitted that he took it as an insult and attacked the victim.
The defendant knocked the victim down and went inside his house to fetch a bat to continue with the attack, but his wife and brother-in-law managed to control him. The victim then reported the incident to Dubai Police.
The victim said that his dog was afraid of the defendant and ran away until he found him a day later. He claimed that his dog refused to eat or drink and was emotionally scarred by the attack. He had to be taken to a veterinary clinic for treatment.
Legal Adviser Mohammed Najeeb, representing the victim, said: “The defendant admitted to the attack and footage from a surveillance camera at a neighbour’s house also proved it. We demanded compensation for the damages,” said Najeeb.
The Dubai Court of First Instance ordered the defendant to pay a fine of Dh5,000.
The case was later referred to the Settlement of Civil Disputes Centre in Dubai Courts. The centre ordered the defendant to pay Dh40,000 in compensation to the victim.
