A man, who escaped arrest after setting his dog loose on police officers, has received a reduced jail sentence at the High Criminal Court after appealing against a five-year term.
He managed to evade arrest for a whole year, fleeing his home in Zallaq by jumping from rooftop to rooftop while the officers were fending off a growling Belgian shepherd.
One officer was bitten by the Belgian Malinois dog, a breed ironically often used by law enforcement for its prowess in protection, drugs and bomb detection.
In January, the Bahraini was found guilty in absentia of assaulting two policemen and harming one with an animal. Judges cut the 30-year-old’s jail term to three years at a trial when he was finally brought before judges.
“The court has decided to adjust the penalty after re-examining the circumstances of the case,” read the new verdict.
According to his criminal record, only two months before the incident, police received a report from a terrified shopkeeper claiming that the Bahraini had visited his store and commanded his dog to attack him.
The GDN earlier reported that on the day of the May 2023 incident, the two policemen had initially come to the defendant’s house to arrest his brother, using an official summons.
He came out and stated that his brother was not home. He was asked to provide identification. After running his CPR number through Najm (the GCC’s unified crime database), they found that he was also ‘wanted’ in connection with a different alleged offence.
“As soon as police asked him to come with them, he shoved the officers who were standing in his way, then dashed to the home’s garage and kicked the kennel to set loose a dog,” read the earlier verdict.
“The dog bit one of the policemen on his leg, and then followed the defendant into his room. The defendant was seen jumping out of his window onto a neighbour’s rooftop.”
While on a rooftop, he reportedly dropped metal debris, aiming to target patrol vehicles, but his aim missed. He had denied all charges in court.
zainab@gdnmedia.bh
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