DUBAI // Three men led an assault on two visitors to a brothel they ran, leaving their victims with permanent disabilities.
The three, from Vietnam, were among more than 10 men who set upon an Emirati off-duty police officer, 29, and an Indian friend, 25 with knives and swords.
Dubai Criminal Court heard the attack happened when the pair realised the massage parlour the visited in International City was a brothel.
The Emirati, who is said to have narrowly survived the assault on January 14, said he decided to confront the men who ran the premises.
“I spoke to one of the defendants and told him that this business was illegal and that I would contact police to send a patrol. [At that point] he ran towards the balcony and jumped out,” the victim said.
The other two men also ran away, so the Emirati and the Indian man walked out of the building.
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But as the Emirati reached for his mobile to call police, they were met by a gang of more than 10, the court was told.
“They held swords and knives. We ran away but they were fast and my friend fell while running. They gathered around him and started assaulting him with swords and a taser,” said the Emirati, who said he returned to help his friend and was also attacked.
A passerby saw the assault and called police, who arrived found the men with severe injuries.
“My friend lost a finger and suffered multiple severe wounds to the head and arms,” said the Emirati.
A medical report said the Emirati suffered a 10 per cent permanent disability, while his Indian friend suffered a 25 per cent permanent disability.
Police arrested three Vietnamese men. The defendants, aged 23, 24 and 30, were convicted of forming a brothel-keeping gang, physical assault and attempted murder, all of which they denied.
They were sentenced to two years each followed by deportation.
salamir@thenational.ae
