Youths convicted of chopping off hand of ‘internet predator’

Two youths attacked and chopped the hand off an older man who was allegedly trying to groom the younger of them on the internet, the Criminal Court has heard.

ABU DHABI // Two young Emiratis chopped off a man’s hand after he allegedly tried to groom the younger of the defendants over the internet.

The older defendant, aged 18, was sentenced to a year in jail while his 12-year-old accomplice was sent to a juvenile detention centre.

Additionally, both defendants’ parents were ordered to pay the victim Dh50,000 in blood money.

On Sunday, the criminal court heard that the victim, a 29-year-old Emirati, met the 12-year-old defendant through a multiplayer online game.

The boy claimed the victim sent him indecent text messages and asked to meet him in person, after which he told the man to go to the capital.

After meeting on a street, the boy asked the man to accompany him to a place where they would be alone. He took him to a building site where the 18-year-old was waiting, armed with a cleaver.

The pair attacked the victim, causing several injuries, including to his liver, and severing a left hand.

After the pair fled the scene, the victim crawled to the street where an ambulance was called.

Although the hand was reattached, the defendant is unable to use it.

He was able to guide police to the boy and both defendants were arrested and charged with carrying out the physical attack and causing permanent injuries to the victim.

The victim did not face charges due to a lack of evidence.