DUBAI: A man has admitted biting off part of his wife’s former boss’ ear after a court hearing over a labor dispute.
The woman had been sacked from her job at a restaurant and had lodged a lawsuit in May against her boss in Dubai.
The woman’s husband – a 49-year-old shepherd – had joined her at the Dubai Labor Court hearing, where the ear biting assault is said to have happened.
It is claimed that after the hearing the husband walked out of the court room behind his wife’s former boss.
Following the man through the court building’s corridors, the boss turned and asked the shepherd why he was following him. The shepherd did not respond, so the man continued walking.
A short while later the woman’s husband jumped on the man’s back and bit his ear. The restaurateur cried out in pain and threw his attacker off.
But as the shepherd fell to the floor, he ripped a part of his victim’s ear off – something the restaurant boss said he only realized when he saw the lower part of his ear between the man’s teeth.
Testifying in court, the victim said: “When I realized that he had been following me, I stopped and asked him straightforward why he was chasing me… but he didn’t respond. I changed my route but he continued walking behind me. Suddenly he jumped over my back and stuck his teeth into my ear.”
The man was taken to hospital, while his attacker was arrested and taken into custody.
“Later I came to know that he is the husband of an employee who was sacked recently,” he added.
The Sudanese shepherd was charged with the assault.
The suspect appeared in the Dubai Court of First Instance on Thursday where he admitted the charge.
A police officer told prosecutors that the attacker had told them that the “victim provoked and angered him, and that was why he attacked him.”
The hearing was adjourned until Oct. 16 when a ruling is expected.
