British man guilty in hammer attack on UAE women

LONDON (AP) — A jury has found a British man guilty of attempted murder in a vicious hammer attack on three female tourists from the United Arab Emirates as they slept with their young children in a luxury hotel in London.

Philip Spence, 32, was convicted Tuesday. He had admitted the attack but denied attempting to kill the three sisters.

All three were severely injured in the April attack. One woman was left in critical condition and all three suffered head and facial injuries.

Judge Anthony Leonard told Spence he will consider sentencing him to life in prison for the attack. He is scheduled to be sentenced next month.

The April attack — and a later assault on an Emirati family in London — caused widespread consternation in the Gulf nation, where violent crime is rare.

British police said there was no indication the victims were targeted because of their nationality.

Spence left the scene with a suitcase filled with items taken from the women’s rooms, including iPads, jewelry and mobile phones.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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