Dubai expat jailed for assaulting cops, breaking fast in public during Ramadan

A 42-year-old expat, who assaulted an on-duty police officer, has been sentenced to six months in jail by the Dubai Court of First Instance.

The defendant, an Egyptian, was also accused of intentionally breaking fast in public on a Ramadan day. He was spotted drinking coffee outdoors during the fasting hours.

The case dates back to May 5. It was registered at Al Barsha police station.

The court referred the defendant to the Court of Misdemeanours on the charge of breaking fast in public during Ramadan. The accused will be deported at the end of his six-month jail term, as per the court order.

A police officer recounted how the defendant invited him to drink coffee with him on the incident day. “We were alerted about an incident at a residential complex in Palm Jumeirah at 10am. When we reached the scene, we found other police officers already there. We learned from them that the accused had been causing disturbance and assaulting security guards. I and a colleague approached the accused who was then walking near a park while drinking coffee.”

The officer told the prosecutor that the accused invited him to have coffee with him when he told him to come with them to the police station. “He ignored us. When we told him again to come with us to the police station, he walked to his building. Inside the lift, he resisted being handcuffed when we told him to go to the basement so to take him inside the police car.”

The officer recalled that the accused asked to go to his flat upstairs. “He pushed me, grabbed me by the neck with his hands and then fell on me. He kept pushing until we got outside the lift. My colleague took him away. Eventually, the accused calmed down and rode inside our car.”

An Indian security supervisor, 36, said that he was informed about someone who was assaulting cleaners on the beach at 10am on the incident day. “I went to talk to him but he pushed me away. The police were then called.”

The supervisor said that he witnessed how the accused assaulted the police officers and yelled at them. “I saw him pushing them and causing one of them to fall down. The defendant would often cause trouble.”

A CCTV footage, capturing the assault incident, has been attached to the case file.

The defendant may appeal the court ruling within 15 days.

mary@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai