November 26, 2008	Wednesday	Ziqa'ad 27, 1429

DUBAI, Nov 25: An appeals court in Dubai on Tuesday suspended three-month jail terms against two Britons convicted of having sex on the beach in the booming Gulf emirate but ordered them to leave the country.

Michelle Palmer, 37, and Vince Acors, 34, who have been on bail during their trial, were not in court when the verdict was issued.

Their lawyer Hassan Matar said the three-month prison sentence had been suspended by the court but that the pair would now be deported.

The two were found guilty in October of having sex in a public place and drinking alcohol in a highly publicised case in the emirate, which despite its pro-western outlook still adheres to certain strict Islamic rules and bans sex out of wedlock.

Palmer and Acors denied charges of having sex in public and committing public indecency, but admitted to being under the influence of alcohol when they were caught on Dubai’s Jumeirah public beach in July after meeting at a champagne brunch in a five-star hotel.

In addition to the jail sentence and deportation, they were each fined 1,000 dirhams ($270) for drinking alcohol. Both had remained free on bail during the trial.

“The verdict concerning their expulsion remains valid,” Matar said. “There are only a few routine procedures to complete for their departure.” At the opening of their trial in August, Palmer denied having sex with Acors, saying they were simply “kissing and hugging.” Matar has insisted that the results of a medical test on Palmer just hours after they were arrested on July 5 showed “she had not engaged in recent sexual intercourse,”.—AFP