Home invader held Briton hostage at knifepoint, court hears

The British manager was held at knifepoint by the Tunisian defendant, then forced to climb into the adjacent balcony, where the Emirati occupant called the police.

DUBAI // A British manager was held hostage at knifepoint in his own home by a Tunisian man who was running away from a fight, the Dubai Criminal Court heard.

M S, 47, said that on the morning of October 10 last year he picked up his newspaper on the doorstep of his apartment in Al Warqaa area then left the door unlocked.

As he sat in his bedroom to read the paper a man who was bleeding from the hands and legs appeared in front of him.

M S said: “I asked him what he wanted but he told me to remain quiet. Then he approached me, threatened me and told me to do what he said.

“I just asked him what happened to him and he said someone had assaulted him and that he was scared.”

The defendant, O A, 21, a Tunisian, took his hostage to the kitchen and picked up a knife.

M S said: “He said that his life was in danger and that he would kill me if I did not do as I was told. He placed the knife on my neck then used it to assault me on the arms, shoulder and the back side of my neck.”

O A then headbutted M S, causing a cut on his forehead.

He was then taken to the balcony, where O A tried to find a way to escape.

“He told me to check for him if he could jump out, but I told him he couldn’t because we were on the second floor,” said M S.

“He then made me jump into the balcony of my neighbour where a maid saw us and ran inside.”

The pair entered the apartment, which belonged to R A, 32, an Emirati.

R A locked himself, his wife and two children into a bedroom and called the police and his brother.

O A then locked him and M S in the kitchen until R A’s brother arrived with the police.

The brother, H A, 45, said: “I started talking to O A and he asked me to help him, so I told him I would if he let me know what his problem was.

“He started saying that the British man had done no harm, then he was convinced to open the door, after which an ambulance treated both the assailant and the hostage.”

The defendant was charged with locking up a person against his will.

Records show he had been involved in a fight over a woman and was scared after someone had been chasing him.

The next hearing will be on January 28 where the defendant will present his defence.