Bahraini Man Sentenced to Six Months in Prison for Assault

TDT | Manama     

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The High Criminal Court in Bahrain has sentenced a Bahraini man to six months in prison after finding him guilty of assaulting an Arab man, causing a permanent neck injury.

The defendant, who initially maintained his innocence, was convicted based on witness testimonies, forensic evidence, and the defendant's own confession during the investigation. The court heard testimonies from the victim, a hotel security guard, and the defendant himself.

The victim claimed he was dropping off his girlfriend at a hotel when the defendant approached and grabbed her hand. He intervened, and the defendant allegedly struck him on the head with a glass cup, causing it to break but not causing injury. The victim then pushed the defendant away.

"He then struck me with the remaining shard of the glass cup on the right side of my neck and punched me several times on the left side of my face. He stopped the assault when he saw blood coming from my neck," the victim recounted.

A hotel security guard corroborated the victim's account, stating he witnessed the victim grabbing the defendant's shirt and punching him, prompting the defendant's retaliation with the glass cup. The Public Prosecution presented the defendant's confession during the investigation as evidence.

The forensic report confirmed the victim's injury, a deep laceration on the right side of the neck, consistent with the victim's account and the timeline of events. A nerve conduction examination revealed damage to the right greater auricular nerve, resulting in a 2% permanent disability.

Adding to the complexity, the defendant's criminal record showed previous convictions for similar offenses. The court considered this history as an aggravating factor in determining the sentence.

The defendant's lawyer argued for leniency, claiming his client acted in self-defense and did not intend to cause permanent injury. However, the court found the evidence against the defendant overwhelming and sentenced him to six months in prison. The defendant has the right to appeal the verdict.