A lower criminal court in Qatar has sentenced a man to 25 years in prison, after his attempt to rob a house in Ain Khaled in 2013 led to the death of the homeowner and injury to his son.

The sentence, which was handed down this week, took into account charges of attempted murder and robbery, assault that led to the death of the homeowner and breaking and entering at night with a weapon, according to Al Raya.

The defendant was also ordered to pay QR200,000 (US$55,000) to the victim’s family in blood money.

Both the defendant and the victim were Qataris.

Though incidences of crime have been rising in Qatar, the country’s burglary rate is 25 per 100,000 inhabitants – well below the global average of 100 per 100,000 people, according to a report issued last February.

What happened

In court, the prosecution said that the defendant deliberately attacked the homeowner, but did not intend to kill him.

The man apparently “wrestled (the victim), shoved him and put fear into his heart as he tried to prevent him from escaping and murdering his son.”

According to an account of the crime shared in court, the defendant entered the victim’s house at night in September 2013 when the homeowner and his family were out, intending to rob them.

He was apparently in the middle of the burglary when the victim and his family returned home and spotted him.

At this point, the victim’s son called the police, while the father attempted to apprehend the defendant.

When the man wrenched away from the father’s grasp, the son went to his aid and tried to catch the perpetrator, who was trying to run away.

The defendant then apparently stabbed the son with a pocket knife, opening a 2cm cut in his left side. The son fell to the ground in front of his father.

The father – who suffered from a heart condition – pushed the defendant off his son and fought back, which led to severe physical and emotional strain, causing a drop in the victim’s blood pressure and a fatal heart attack, according to the coroner’s report.

The defendant quickly fled the scene, but apparently left behind his ghutra, shoes and mobile phone, Al Raya stated.

When authorities tracked him down and searched his car, they found the pocketknife used in the crime.

Thoughts?