Labourer knocks patrol car, drags cop along street

Hamza M Sengendo, Staff Reporter

A suspected vehicle thief who knocked a police patrol car, dragged a corporal along the street, dropped him far away and sped off, has lost an appeal for mercy.

The Asian defendant –a labourer, 25 – assaulted the Yemeni corporal, 40, and an Emirati policeman, 21, who were trying to stop him from taking the vehicle away, read Rashidiyah Police Station records.

He repeatedly knocked the Dubai Police CID’s car that they were driving. He continued reversing against the car until he created enough space for him to steer the vehicle out of parked cars and speed off on Mar.3.

By so doing, he put both police officers’ lives at risk and also damaged the CID car. He also damaged another car belonging to a resident. During Dubai Criminal Court questioning, he denied all the charges.

“I was rather the one beaten up by cops. I was sitting inside the vehicle and did not do anything to them as they beat me.” The court jailed him for one year plus deportation. The Dubai Appeals Court has upheld it.

The corporal complained that he and the policeman were on a mission monitoring a stolen Honda vehicle that had been parked behind a building in the Dubai International City when they spotted a man walking towards it.

He turned out to be the defendant. He opened it and sat inside. “I accelerated towards the vehicle and pulled over behind it. The defendant noticed I blocked his way since the vehicle was in the middle of parked cars.

“He repeatedly reversed knocking the police patrol car. He was trying to push it back to create enough space for him to drive out of the parking. He appeared to have surrendered. I stepped out of the patrol car and opened the vehicle’s door.

“He again repeatedly reversed, knocked our car out of the way and sped as I held the door. He dragged me and nearly ran over me. I sustained arm and back injuries and bled profusely.” The corporal told the jury he still felt pain in the arm.

The policeman gave a similar account.