DUBAI // Six men who were sentenced to between three months and a year for attacking a student with an axe and swords had their sentences suspended by Dubai Court of Appeal.

Last June, Dubai Criminal Court convicted brothers W A, 29, and S A, 21, brothers M S, 24, and M B S, and their friends D R, 21, and M A, 21, on assault charges after the victim was left with a 40 per cent permanent disability.

The Emirati victim, 21-year-old A A, was at his sister’s house on April 17 last year when the incident occurred.

“W A arrived carrying an axe and attacked me – he hit me on the hand and I tried to run away but, as I did, I hit a car parked in front of my sister’s house then lost my balance and fell to the ground,” said A A in his testimony.

Once he was on the ground, the rest of the defendants joined the attack. Two were wielding swords.

“I was hit with the axe twice on my left hand,” said A A, who explained that personal problems with W A were the reason behind the attack.

The victim was taken to hospital, where he underwent several surgical procedures to his hand.

A forensics report said that he lost full mobility in his hand.

The five Emirati defendants and their Pakistani accomplice D R were charged with assault and causing permanent disability. They appealed against their sentences and the court of appeal suspended the jail terms for three years.

salamir@thenational.ae