Dubai: Three men have been jailed for two years each for forcing their way into a flat, assaulting a tenant with a sword and threatening to kill his sister-in-law and stealing their belongings.

The three men — an Iraqi student, a jobless Emirati and a Pakistani worker — wore masks and were armed with a sword when they broke into the flat in August 2016.

The defendants broke the door lock and went to the Pakistani tenant’s room, woke him up and assaulted him with the sword.

The tenant ran out to the balcony and cried for help before the three accused pulled him back inside, assaulted him again and threatened to kill his sister-in-law.

The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted the trio of assault, theft and death threat.

Presiding judge Urfan Omar said the Pakistani and Iraqi defendants will be deported following the completion of their jail terms.

The trio pleaded not guilty in court.

The Pakistani tenant said he was asleep when he suddenly felt someone kicking him.

“When I woke up, I saw three masked men and they had a sword. They pulled me out of the bedroom, hit me on my head, and I bled. I ran quickly to the balcony and cried for help … the defendants pulled me back inside and they stabbed me from behind. In the meantime, my sister-in-law woke up to my loud cries. They threatened to kill her. Then they stole my wallet with Dh5,000 in it and also our phones and absconded. While leaving, they locked the door from outside. Shortly after that, my brother arrived. He forced the door open and called an ambulance for me,” the tenant testified.

A policeman said primary investigations revealed the involvement of the student in the theft and he was the first to be arrested.

“The Iraqi suspect was apprehended in September. During questioning, he said a fourth suspect, who had previous disputes with the tenant, had ordered them to break into the flat, assault him and rob him. The Emirati was apprehended from behind a supermarket in the same area. The Pakistani was arrested from Al Baraha,” said the policeman.

Thursday’s ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.