Dubai cell fire prisoner has jail sentence cut

Prisoner who showed court his tattoos is sentenced to three months in prison.

DUBAI // A prisoner who set fire to his cell had a jail sentence reduced from six months to three by the Criminal Court yesterday.

ME, 32, was in prison on drug charges when on October 15, 2010, he used paper and a lighter to start a fire in his cell. He also set fire to himself.

He was rescued by a policeman who noticed heavy smoke coming from his cell.

"He told me he wished to die and said to me: 'God forgive you, why did you save me?'" recalled the policeman.

Prosecutors charged him with attempted suicide, endangering the lives of policemen and other detainees, and damaging public property.

He was originally convicted and sentenced to a further six months in jail and fined Dh1,650, but on appeal this was reduced this to three months and the court ruled that, rather than a fine, he should pay Dh1,650 for the damages he had caused.

At a previous hearing the inmate, an Emirati, told the court he was schizophrenic and had received electric shock treatment. He also stripped off his shirt to show the judges his tattoos, which he described as the only thing he had gained from being in prison.