DUBAI yesterday drew a line in the sand, defending strict Islamic values against hedonistic visitors, by jailing a British couple convicted of having sex on a beach.
What began as a drunken "hook-up" on a sun-lounger between Vince Acors, a London businessman on a brief trip, and Michelle Palmer, a Dubai publishing executive, ended yesterday with a three-month sentence for public indecency and unmarried sexual in
tercourse.
While the two individuals, who were not present at Dubai's Court of the First Instance, have not yet been imprisoned as their lawyer has appealed against the sentence, their disgrace will be complete when they enter separate male and female prisons in Dubai.
The pair were also fined 1,000 dirhams (£155) each, having denied both charges but admitted consuming alcohol.
They were arrested on Jumeirah Beach hours after meeting at a £60 all-you-can-drink champagne brunch at the five-star Le Meridien hotel on 5 July. A police officer told Dubai's Court of First Instance he had warned them about their inappropriate behaviour, but returned later to find them having sex on a sun lounger.
Acors, 34, from Bromley, London, initially pleaded guilty before later denying the crime.
Palmer, 36, from Oakham, Leicestershire, who has been sacked from her job in Dubai as a publishing executive with ITP Publishing Group, said in a statement they were "just kissing and hugging".
After the hearing, Hassam Matter, who represents Palmers and Acors, said: "We are making an appeal against the verdict. They haven't been arrested and taken into custody yet. I have 15 days to appeal.
"I have to find the reason why the judge gave three months. They are innocent. They are at home (in Dubai). I have spoken to them. They are upset."
The disgraced couple had faced a maximum penalty of six years' imprisonment and the senior prosecutor, Faisal Abdelmalek Ahli, said he was disappointed they were not given longer jail terms.
"I'm not happy," he said, speaking outside the court. "It's very light. It's normal for a sentence to be six months to a year for an offence such as this."
Mr Ahli said he expected Acors and Palmer to serve their full three-month term in a Dubai prison. "Sometimes people serve half their sentence but this is so short I expect they will serve it all," he said.
Observers believe that the couple's relatively light punishment is meant to strike a balance, serving as a timely deterrent and warning to expats and tourists that they must respect Dubai's local laws and customs.
Around 100,000 British expats live in the bustling emirate and a further million visit on holiday every year.
The full article contains 455 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
