A British couple has been sentenced to three months in jail for having sex on a Dubai beach.
Michelle Palmer, 36, and Vince Acors, 34, were today sentenced by a Dubai court, fined £200 and ordered to be deported upon their release from prison.
It had been feared that the two Britons might face several years in jail.
Friends of Ms Palmer - who maintains her innocence - told The Times she was not surprised by the courts decision.
She denies having sex with Mr Acors and intends to appeal the verdict as a matter of principle. She is desperate to return to Britain, said one friend.
She and Mr Acors remain free on bail but are barred from speaking directly to the press or leaving the country.
The couples case has become a symbol of a culture clash in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that pits Dubais Western expat minority against the conservative Arab laws.
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