Dubai man and his son ordered to pay Dh16.1 million after stealing wife’s jewellery

The Dubai Court of First Instance has directed a husband and his son to jointly pay Dh16.1 million to the man’s wife for stealing jewellery, luxury watches and cash from her residence during a marital dispute.

The pair must repay Dh15.1 million, representing the value of the stolen items, and an additional Dh1 million as compensation for the financial and emotional distress caused to the woman, according to court documents.

Details of the theft and criminal conviction

The theft occurred amid disagreements between the couple. The husband and his son took more than 100 pieces of gold and diamond jewellery, luxury watches and cash, with the total value of the stolen property estimated at Dh15.1 million.

The case was initially heard in the criminal court, which convicted both men of theft and handed each a one-year prison term. They were also jointly fined Dh15.1 million, equivalent to the value of the stolen goods. The convictions were later upheld by the Court of Appeal.

Wife’s civil lawsuit

After the criminal proceedings concluded, the wife filed a civil lawsuit seeking Dh50 million in compensation. She argued that the theft not only deprived her of valuable possessions but also caused considerable psychological suffering.

She told the court that gold prices had risen by at least 70 percent since the theft, resulting in lost potential profits of approximately Dh11 million. She also sought around Dh23.9 million in compensation for emotional and moral damage, citing the distress of being betrayed by her husband and his son.

Court’s ruling on damages

In reviewing the civil lawsuit, the court noted that the final criminal judgment had already established the defendants’ responsibility for the theft, leaving only the assessment of damages to be determined.

The court found that the wife had been deprived of her valuables and the opportunity to benefit from them for more than 18 months. It also acknowledged the psychological distress and inconvenience she endured while pursuing legal proceedings to recover her property.

However, the court rejected her claim for anticipated profits from rising gold prices, ruling that compensation must be based on actual, established damage rather than hypothetical financial gains. It consequently ordered the husband and his son to jointly pay Dh15.1 million for the stolen valuables, along with Dh1 million in compensation for material and moral damage.

The court dismissed the remaining claims, bringing the total civil award to Dh16.1 million.