Man who threatened Dubai exchange house staff with fake bomb must see out jail term

On November 2 last year the 38-year-old Briton walked into a branch of Al Ansari Exchange in Barsha Heights and threatened staff with fake, homemade bomb.

DUBAI // A Briton jailed for threatening staff with a fake bomb at an exchange house must serve out his prison term, the Dubai Court of Appeal has ruled.

On November 2 last year the man, 38, walked into a branch of Al Ansari Exchange in Barsha Heights at about 11pm.

He handed the female manager a note demanding that she give him money or he would set off the bomb he was carrying.

“He said there were two other people waiting for him outside, and then he picked up a black box wrapped in plastic and told me it was a bomb,” said the Filipina manager, who rang the silent emergency alarm connected to Dubai Police.

“I was stalling him but he suddenly picked up the black box and ran out. Police came and I told them what happened.”

The man was arrested five days later after he was identified by the manager. He said he put together the bomb at home because he had financial problems.

In January at Dubai Criminal Court he denied charges of attempted robbery and issuing death threats using a fake bomb.

He will be deported after serving six months in jail.