Three tourists jailed for assaulting driver

dubai — Three tourists, who assaulted a Pakistani hotel driver and caused him a permanent nose deformity, were sentenced to six months in jail by a Dubai court on Thursday.

According to public prosecution records, the three Saudi tourists, who belong to the same family, assaulted the victim, a valet parking driver, after he stepped in to break a fight they were having with another driver at a hotel in Al Muraqqabat. A case was registered on March 22 at Al Muraqqabat police station.

The Court of First Instance found them guilty of the charge of physical assault that led to a permanent injury and ordered their deportation after serving their jail time.

The victim, 42, said he was on the job at a hotel. “There was another driver who was in the car of a guest. Then three men — the defendants — came and began banging on the car with their hands. The driver stepped off, telling them to stop it as it was a guest’s car. I had to step in when the verbal brawl soon evolved into a physical assault. After one of them beat my colleague, I was also assaulted with a stick and their hands.”

The victim recounted to the prosecution investigator how he was left with a left cheek injury, a head bruise and a broken nose bone.

A forensic report showed the victim suffered a nose deformity which is a permanent injury due to the assault.

The defendants can appeal the court ruling within 15 days as of the issuance date.