Man jailed for knife attack in Dubai fast-food restaurant

The man was sentenced at Dubai Criminal Court. AFP

Dubai Criminal Court has sentenced an Egyptian man to three years in jail for stabbing a Pakistani man who confronted him after he jumped the queue inside a restaurant.

He was also ordered to pay a fine of Dh10,000 and will be deported after serving his sentence.

The incident happened on May 8, 2022 at about 3am, when the man was queuing with two girls to order a meal at a fast-food restaurant in the Al Rigga area of Dubai.

The court was told he jumped the queue of customers before arguing with the victim who confronted him.

He stabbed the victim, causing a 4cm cut in the abdomen, and fled.

The victim was then taken to hospital for treatment.

Dubai Police made an arrest a few hours later.

“I was in the line with my friend to order the food when the man entered with two girls and cut the line,” the victim said in official records.

“I asked him to return to the line behind me. We had an argument and he attacked me with a knife and knocked me on the ground.”

The court was told the man waved the knife around and also injured the victim’s friend’s hand.

“There was an argument while we were waiting in line to order some food. He attacked me and my friend, and escaped,” said the victim’s friend.

The man had denied the charge of physically assaulting two people.

“Due to the severity of the accused’s criminal act, the court granted him the toughest punishment as a deterrence and to protect society members from such acts,” court records said, after sentencing.

The verdict will be subject to appeal within 15 days.