Former newspaper editor Francis Matthew has appealed a 10-year prison sentence handed to him by a Dubai court for killing his wife by hitting her in the head with a hammer.
The 61-year-old was convicted on March 25 after the court changed the initial charge of murder to 'physical assault leading to death'.
He is now seeking a more lenient sentence, though a date for the hearing has yet to be set.
In a previous hearing, his lawyer, Ali Al Shamsi, told Judge Fahd Al Shamsi that Matthew had a moment of "temporary insanity".
The family of his wife, Jane, told The National they were "very upset" that the former editor-at-large of Gulf News appealed the verdict that the family described as "deeply unfair".
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Read more:
Former Gulf News editor Francis Matthew jailed 10 years for killing wife in Dubai
Francis Matthew trial: Dubai court told of editor's blood-soaked bedroom and facts that didn't add up
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On Tuesday, Peter Manning, Jane's brother, issued a statement on behalf of the family saying they want Dubai Court of Appeal to overturn the original verdict in a bid for a harsher sentence.
They said the sentence - which was widely debated as being too lenient by residents on social media - seemed to imply that Jane's death was unintentional when Matthew's actions appeared to indicate intention to kill.
The full statement read:
"Jane’s family is very upset that Francis Matthew has appealed to further reduce his sentence after he killed Jane with a hammer.
"We want the court of appeal to overturn the original verdict. Women in particular should be deeply worried. This verdict says that, just by having a common domestic argument with her husband, Jane was responsible for provoking her own death.
"The court’s finding is also deeply unfair to Jane because, while Matthew has apparently had his defence of provocation considered by the court, he has at the same time benefitted from having ensured Jane couldn’t defend herself against his claims."
He went on to say that the family remains convinced that the court was unduly lenient.
Mr Manning said: "The court also seems to be saying that Jane’s death was unintentional. But of all the items that Matthew could have picked up during the alleged argument, he chose a hammer. And by his own description, he collected the hammer in the kitchen and carried it down two corridors of the house to the bedroom. Why would he do that?
"It is also not believable that Matthew, who is over 6 feet tall, did not think he would kill Jane if he gave her two very hard blows to the face with the hammer.
"We have a copy of the forensic report which says that the wound on Jane’s face was very large, being stated as being “9cm x 10cm”.
"The forensic report also finds that Jane had significant bruising, saying that “the injuries were around the mouth and inside the lips as if to prevent any attempt of yelling.
"Matthew made no attempt to call an ambulance after he killed Jane, instead he calmly went to work for a whole day and staged a cover-up in the evening."
On July 4, Dubai Police said they were called to Matthew's home in Jumeirah at 5.45pm where they found his 62-year-old wife of more than 30 years dead in bed with a severe head wound.
Police said Matthew initially claimed Jane had been assaulted by robbers who had broken into their three-bedroom home and killed her while he was at work between 8am and 5pm.
Matthew later admitted to police that his wife had grown angry with him after he told her they needed to move to a smaller home because they were in debt.
He told police his wife provoked him, calling him a "loser" and saying it was his responsibility to provide them with money.
Matthew said his wife also pushed him so he got a hammer from the kitchen, followed her to the bedroom and hit her twice on the head while she was laying in bed.
A forensic expert told the court that bruises around her mouth and upper lip indicated that she was forcefully silenced while on the bed.
Records show that the next morning, Matthew tried to make the house look like it had been robbed before leaving for work, throwing the hammer, which he put in a plastic bag, in a nearby rubbish bin.
The court heard the testimonies of six people — four Emirati police officers, a Sri Lankan gardener and an Egyptian forensic expert. It also listened to good character testimonies from Matthew’s son, brother and sister.
Essentials
The flights
Whether you trek after mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda or the Congo, the most convenient international airport is in Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. There are direct flights from Dubai a couple of days a week with RwandAir. Otherwise, an indirect route is available via Nairobi with Kenya Airways. Flydubai flies to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, via Entebbe in Uganda. Expect to pay from US$350 (Dh1,286) return, including taxes.
The tours
Superb ape-watching tours that take in all three gorilla countries mentioned above are run by Natural World Safaris. In September, the company will be operating a unique Ugandan ape safari guided by well-known primatologist Ben Garrod.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, local operator Kivu Travel can organise pretty much any kind of safari throughout the Virunga National Park and elsewhere in eastern Congo.
The biog
Alwyn Stephen says much of his success is a result of taking an educated chance on business decisions.
His advice to anyone starting out in business is to have no fear as life is about taking on challenges.
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Mr Stephen sells his luxury fragrances at selected perfumeries around the UAE, including the House of Niche Boutique in Al Seef.
He relaxes by spending time with his family at home, and enjoying his wife’s India cooking.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
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- 600-seat auditorium
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The bio
Favourite book: Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer
Favourite quote: “The world makes way for the man who knows where he is going.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson, American essayist
Favourite Authors: Arab poet Abu At-Tayyib Al-Mutanabbi
Favourite Emirati food: Luqaimat, a deep-fried dough soaked in date syrup
Hobbies: Reading and drawing
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Mina Cup winners
Under 12 – Minerva Academy
Under 14 – Unam Pumas
Under 16 – Fursan Hispania
Under 18 – Madenat
GAC GS8 Specs
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Specs
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Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics