Dubai: A worker who was hit in the mouth with a concrete block suffered a fractured jaw and permanently lost the ability to chew, a court heard on Sunday.

Records confirmed that the Bangladeshi worker, M.A., sustained a 12 per cent permanent disability after his 27-year-old compatriot hit him in the mouth with a concrete block, breaking his upper jaw and front teeth.

"I didn't hit him with the block ... I only pushed him and didn't intend to hurt him," the unemployed Bangladeshi told Presiding Judge Saeed Salem Bin Sarm when he appeared before the Dubai Court of First Instance on Sunday.

The Public Prosecution charged the suspect, M.Y., with assaulting the 38-year-old victim, M.A., and leaving him with a permanent disability to his jaw.

The suspect, who is in detention, denied the assault charge but pleaded guilty to infiltration.

The victim testified two unidentified men aided the suspect and immobilised him. A medical report confirmed that the victim has permanently lost the ability to chew.