Gang jailed for sword and axe attack on student in Dubai

DUBAI // Six men who attacked a student with swords and axes, mutilating his hands, have each been jailed for a year.

Two pairs of brothers, W A, 29, and S A, 21, and M S, 24, and M B S, and friends D R, 21, and M A, 21 assaulted the Emirati victim A A, 21, on April 17 last year, Dubai Criminal Court heard.

In his testimony, A A said he was at his sister’s house when W A appeared wielding an axe accompanied by the other defendants.

“W A hit me with it on my hand. I tried to escape, but hit a car parked in front of the house and fell down,” the victim said.

“After I fell down, W A and the rest started hitting me with swords and axes. I was hit twice on my hands with the axe, and several blows with the swords on my legs,” he said.

A A said he believed he was attacked because of “personal problems” between him and W A.

The victim required several surgical procedures to stabilise his condition and heal his wounds.

Even so, a forensic report revealed he had lost some of the motor functions in his hands, meaning he has permanent difficulty grasping objects.