Dubai: A group of men who attacked a British man and broke his tooth after he asked them to give him space inside a hotel’s washroom were sentenced to six months in jail, the Dubai court of First Instance heard.
The 38-year-old British businessman claimed that in March 2019, he went to the washroom at Dubai’s Five Palm Jumeirah hotel, and wanted to wash his hand when he asked one of the defendants to give him some space. “It was small space and I asked a man to move a side a little. I was surprised when one of the defendants punched me in the face knocking me out,” said the victim in official records.
When he regained consciousness, he found the three defendants waiting for him outside the bathroom’s door.
“I tried to leave the place when they blocked my way. They assaulted me with punches on my face and I was bleeding from my nose and lost one tooth,” the victim added.
He managed to reach the hotel’s reception and asked for help.
Police were called and arrested the victim and the three defendants, including two Somalis 23 and 26 and a Sudanese aged 28.
Records showed that all the four men were under the influence of alcohol.
According to Dubai Public Prosecution, the defendants claimed that the victim attacked them first.
A medical examination found that the victim suffered eight per cent permanent disability after losing a tooth and sustaining a nasal septum deviation.
The three defendants were charged with physically assaulting the British businessman and consuming alcohol without a license. They will be deported after serving their jail term.
Meanwhile, the British man was charged with assaulting the three defendants and referred him to a misdemeanour court.
