British tourist robbed by men with swords, Dubai court hears

The British tourist told prosecutors that the robbery occurred while she was visiting an American friend's villa in Mirdif.

DUBAI // Three men carrying swords broke into the villa where a British tourist was staying and robbed her, Dubai Criminal Court was told on Sunday.

H H, 26, and M N, 22, both Emiratis, and Jordanian O M, 23, face charges of armed robbery. F M, 45, another Emirati, is charged with driving the group.

The tourist, E R, 58, told prosecutors she arrived in Dubai on October 7 last year and went to her American friend’s villa in Mirdif, to which she had a key.

“I chatted with my friend for about an hour, then headed to the bedroom to empty two bags I had with me, when I saw a shadow of someone passing from in front of the bedroom,” she said.

“I said, ‘Who is there?’ But [there was] no answer.”

E R said she walked outside the room to check, then saw two masked men carrying swords.

“They pushed me back into the room,” she said. “I screamed but my friend did not hear me.”

The men ordered her to sit in the corner of the room, then asked her to give them all the cash she had, said E R. She handed one of the men all the money from her purse, but she said he complained and asked her for more.

“His accomplice was searching the room, then a third one, whose face was not covered, joined them,” she said.

“One of them was fat. He closed the curtains, then pointed the knife at me and said that they would cut parts of my body, and ordered me to tell them where my jewellery was.

“So I told them it was still in my bags as I just arrived from the airport.”

The three then allegedly took her bags and mobile phones, threatened to kill her if she screamed, and then left.

“I was in a shock for about five minutes, then my friend came after seeing one of the men walking out with my bag. I told her what happened and she called the police,” said E R.

The stolen bags contained gold and diamond pieces and 23.60 British pounds, in addition to the Dh700 that E R handed to one of the burglars, and two mobile phones, the court heard.

The victim’s friend, R B, also 58, told the court that she was reading when she heard the dogs barking and headed to the window, then noticed a man walking out of her villa and carrying E R’s bag.

“I asked him why he had the bag, but he ignored me and walked out,” said R B.

Emirati policeman S A, 23, said officers questioned one of the defendants, M N, about the robbery after arresting him for alleged involvement in a rape case, when they noticed he had swords and two scarves similar to the ones that E R said the robbers wore as masks.

“We also found some jewellery pieces similar to the ones E R said were stolen from her,” S A said tsaid.

The man was questioned about the robbery and confessed, then provided the identities of his accomplices, who were later arrested, said S A.

“They all said that H H, 26, was the one who suggested they rob the place,” the policeman told the court.

Prosecutors said that all four defendants have criminal records.

H H, an Emirati, was the only one present in court on Sunday to face charges of armed robbery, which he denied. The other three did not appear. The next hearing will be on March 23.