An Iranian man who chopped off the finger of a 21-year-old Emirati with a sword has been sentenced to a year in prison.
The attack happened in February this year as the victim stepped in protect his father from a brutal gang assault.
Dubai Criminal Court heard how the defendant had sent multiple threatening messages to the 55-year-old retired Emirati through WhatsApp in the days leading up to the offence.
And when the two men met by chance late at night in the Al Quoz area of Dubai, the Iranian and seven other friends threw the father to the ground before the defendant lashed out with a sword striking the man's son.
“It was dark so I couldn't see most of their faces," the victim's father said. "They attacked me then threw me to the ground before I saw the defendant walking back to his car and return holding a sword.
"The sword hit my son on his hand, chopping off one of his fingers."
Following the attack the father called an ambulance which rushed his son to hospital. Days later the 27-year-old defendant was arrested in Umm Al Quwain.
A police officer told the court: "During questioning, he (the defendant) told me he assaulted the father and son because the father had previously insulted his mother."
The officer said the man, who will be deported after completing his sentence, did not regret the attack and had threatened to cut off their heads "next time".
