Three men convicted of murdering a woman have had their jail term increased by Dubai Appeal Court judges. They were sentenced to seven years in prison by the Dubai Criminal Court in April but on Wednesday theappeal court revoked the verdict and increased the punishment by three years.

This came after prosecutors had appealed the initial sentence and requested a harsher term.

The court heard that the men met the woman early last year and went to her apartment in the Naif area last August. They said the woman took away their cash and her friend told them to leave the apartment.

“One man admitted he decided to take revenge,” prosecutors told the court.

The man called his two colleagues and they planned the attack.

On August 19, they bought knives to kill the woman and one of them stabbed her in the chest while the other two kept watch. They stole Dh400 ($108) and two phones from the woman's apartment.

Police were alerted when the woman’s body was discovered. Officers found the knives discarded in a rubbish bin in a nearby area and traced the offenders in Dubai.

“The stabber admitted to the murder but said he only meant to scare her and not end her life,” a police officer said in court evidence.

“He said when they left they didn’t even know she was dead.”

A medical report said the victim died of the stab wound.

In court, the trio were convicted of premeditated murder and theft. They will be deported after serving their sentences.

The woman's age and nationality were not disclosed.