Dubai sex on beach pair to appeal

Two Britons who were found guilty of having sex on a Dubai beach are appealing against their conviction.

Last Thursday, Vince Acors and Michelle Palmer were sentenced to three months in jail followed by deportation after being convicted on two charges of engaging in sexual activity, and for doing so in public.

They had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The judge also fined the pair £157 each for an alcohol-related offence they had admitted.

Both remain on bail ahead of next month's hearing, which will be held in the same building as Dubai's Court of First Instance.

A court spokesman said Palmer and Acors were jailed and deported for public indecency and having unmarried sex. He said the fine was imposed for being drunk in a public place.

Palmer and Acors met on July 4 at an all-you-can-drink champagne brunch at a five-star Dubai hotel.

They were arrested in the early hours of the following day after being seen cavorting by a police officer on Jumeirah Beach.

In a statement, Palmer denied having sex and said they were just "hugging and kissing".

They were convicted in their absence during a brief hearing last Thursday. If their appeal fails, they will go straight to jail, prosecutors said.

As the tourism hub of the Gulf, Dubai seeks a delicate balance between maintaining its Muslim identity and catering for a vibrant tourism industry.

Expatriates comprise more than 90 per cent of its population, attracted by tax-free earnings and year-round sunshine.

There are frequent reports of foreigners falling foul of local laws in the United Arab Emirates that strictly control drinking and ban homosexuality and public displays of affection.

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