Couple 'threatened with death by burglars who included two Britons'

A man was repeatedly assaulted with a hammer and his wife's head was stepped on when thieves broke into their Emirates Hills villa, a court was told yesterday.

DUBAI // A man was repeatedly assaulted with a hammer and his wife's head was stepped on when thieves broke into their Emirates Hills villa, a court heard yesterday. Two Britons, one of whom remains at large, and an Indian, SS, 21, were charged with assault, attempted robbery, trespassing and breaking and entering in the Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance. A 48-year-old Briton, CL, was charged in absentia with threatening the life of the couple, while his 19-year-old compatriot, also known as SS, was charged with physical assault on the woman. Both were also charged with consuming alcohol.

The Swiss housewife N F, 60, said she and her 54-year-old husband, J F, were watching television when they heard a window smash as the three men broke into their home. When she attempted to find cover, N F was pushed to the floor and had her head stepped on by a defendant, she said. J F said C L hit him with a hammer on the back of his head and said he would kill him if he did not show where their safe was located.

J F said that when he did not answer, he was struck a couple more times on the head with the hammer. He told prosecutors he managed to fend off C L and run outside to call for help. Security guards and neighbours alerted police. The court adjourned the case until June 7 to allow the defendants to enter a plea. @Email:[e-mail]