Man who attacked officer feared arrest, court told

He was being sought on charges of attempted murder and was frightened he would be jailed for life, he tells court.

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ABU DHABI // A man being arrested on charges he tried to kill two of his supervisors bit and kicked the police officer, fearing he would never return to his homeland, a court heard this morning.

ND, a security guard from Vietnam, was charged in the Criminal Court of First Instance with stabbing two men during a fight and assaulting an on-duty officer.

When Chief Justice Sayed Abdul Baseer asked ND whether he committed the crimes, he denied the attempted murder charges but confessed to biting and kicking the officer.

"I was scared and drunk," he told the judge, adding that he was terrified he would have to spend the rest of his life in prison and never go back to Vietnam.

He denied having any prior disagreements with the victims.

His attorney argued that for ND to be convicted of attempt to murder, there must be criminal intent. But ND was so drunk he "lacked awareness" necessary for intent, the lawyer said.

"The forensic test showed a very high percentage of alcohol in his blood," said the lawyer. "And the first victim said he walked in on him in his room and he was heavily drunk."

ND testified he had consumed two litres of alcohol he bought from the canteen at his labour camp.

His lawyer also said the supervisors' wounds were shallow — about 1cm deep — and clearly not intended to cause death.

The verdict will be announced on Oct 24.

hdajani@thenational.ae