British beach pair given bail extension

Bail was extended today for the British pair convicted of having illicit relations on the beach.

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DUBAI // The British pair convicted of having illicit relations on a public beach have been granted a bail extension after presenting themselves to the Dubai Public Prosecution today. Michelle Palmer, 36, and Vince Acors, 34, were sentenced to three months in jail and subsequent deportation by the Dubai -Misdemeanours Court last week. Each was also fined Dh1,000 (US$272) for being intoxicated in a public place. They lodged an appeal against the conviction on Monday in an 18-page document calling for a not guilty verdict on the grounds that the evidence did not prove they had sexual intercourse. The document was presented to the Public Prosecution's criminal rulings execution section. Their case is to be heard in Dubai Appeal Court on Nov 18. Palmer and Acors will be allowed bail for as long as their appeal trial is ongoing. Both were asked to return in person to the Public Prosecution Office to request an extension of their bail, a standard procedure. They were accompanied by their legal consultant, Hassan Matter. "I worked hard all day and made sure that bail was extended by the end of the working day, with the same guarantee we gave to the misdemeanours court," Mr Matter said. The pair have already surrendered their passports. Palmer and Acors were arrested on Jumeirah Beach shortly after midnight on July 5, after witnesses had reported seeing them having sex on the beach. A police officer on patrol said in a statement that he had warned the couple about frolicking on the beach, but they ignored him. Acors's lawyer in Britain, Andrew Crossley, has said the case represented "a schism between two separate cultures".

hbathish@thenational.ae