Thieves lose appeal against jail time

DUBAI // Two men who locked up an Australian flight attendant at his own flat then robbed him lost their appeal against a five-year jail term each.

The Pakistani pair, aged 30 and 28, were jailed for tying up their victim and stealing from him.

Prosecutors said the pair were acquainted with the victim, and visited him on March 12 three years ago.

After a few drinks, they locked the man in his bedroom before stealing two Blackberry phones and two laptops.

The court was told that they used leather bindings to tie the 34-year-old flight attendant and put a ball in his mouth to gag him.

The victim met his attackers through a website after which they began to have regular meetings. One of the two said in his confession to prosecutors that on the day of the incident, the victim went to the toilet, so they decided to steal his belongings from the flat.

He added that as they were leaving the flat, the man came out of the toilet and saw them.They then dragged him to his bedroom and restrained him.

The two will be deported after serving their jail terms.