A neighbour who murdered an Emirati mother and stabbed her two children and the family's maid in a frenzied knife attack has been sentenced to death.
The Pakistani man, 25, broke into the family's home in Fujairah before repeatedly stabbing Suzan Al Qudat, 39, after he woke her while entering the property.
He then stabbed the victim's daughter, who was 11 at the time, nine times and her nine-year-old brother five times before attacking the maid.
The horrifying event took place on March 23, 2017.
The two children, Natalie Al Mansoori and her brother Hamad, received treatment for their injuries at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City in Abu Dhabi.
They were visited during their stay in hospital by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.
The children were told of their mother's death by their father, Ibrahim Al Mansoori.
Mr Al Mansoori said at the time that the visit from the two UAE rulers had lifted the family's spirits during their darkest hour.
“The visit by Sheikh Mohamed and Sheikh Mansour had a positive impact on the children as well as me,” he said.
“It has relieved our grief and this is what we always expect from our Rulers, who are with all citizens every time and in all happy and sad situations.”
Police in Fujairah arrested the killer within 30 minutes of being alerted to the shocking crime.
Officers found the mother dead when they arrived at the house. Her children and the maid were bleeding heavily.
During questioning, the murderer said he had set out to burgle the family home.
He denied in Fujairah Criminal Court that he intended to kill Ms Al Qudat.
He was convicted of premeditated murder, attempted murder and attempted theft by the court, and given the death penalty.