A man who carried out an acid attack on his ex-wife has won a bid to reduce his prison sentence.
The jobless Emirati was handed a 15-year jail term after pouring sulfuric acid over the woman, causing her second and third degree burns.
The victim had to undergo a series of reconstructive operations to her head, neck and legs as a result of her ordeal.
The incident took place at her office at Nad Al Sheba Health Centre in Dubai on September 9, 2015, with the man later convicted of attempted murder in 2017.
Court records stated that the man had put the acid in a shampoo bottle and poured it over the victim's head after bursting into her office and locking the door.
A security guard managed to get into the office shortly after and found the woman in a state of great distress and immediately contacted police.
When police arrived, the defendant repeatedly shouted "I wish I had killed her and got it over with," court records stated.
During a court hearing in May 2017, the defendant apologised for his actions.
“What I did to the mother of my five children and my ex-wife of 15 years was wrong, but I didn’t intend to kill her,” he said.
“But I had been in detention for two years already and I beg for bail, I swear I won’t come near her or my children.”
Judge Mohammed Jamal refused the man’s request for bail at the time and ordered he undergo mental assessment after the accused’s lawyer argued he suffered from mental problems.
A medical report confirmed that he was aware of his actions and did not suffer from any mental health issues.
He was jailed for 15 years and ordered to pay Dh21,000 in compensation and Dh1,000 in legal fees.
His sentence has been cut to 10 years following appeal, but he will still have to pay the full compensation awarded and legal fees.
