The trial of a British man and woman accused of having sex on a beach in Dubai has been delayed for a week.
Vince Acors, 34, of Bromley, south-east London, and Michelle Palmer, 36, of Oakham, Rutland, appeared at the Gulf state's Court of First Instance.
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The pair deny charges of public indecency and having unmarried sex but admit consuming alcohol.
They were arrested after allegedly being seen having sex on a public beach on 5 July.
Mr Acors and Miss Palmer, who are both on bail, arrived separately at court.
If found guilty they could face a prison sentence of up to six years, but senior prosecutor Faisal Abdelmalek Ahli says they are more likely to be jailed for between six months and a year as well as being fined and deported.
'I'm sorry'
In a statement to the court at a previous hearing, Miss Palmer said: "We were just kissing and hugging. We didn't have sex together. I was lying on top of him.
"I have been in Dubai for two-and-a-half years without committing any kind of offence. I'm sorry."
The pair met hours before their arrest at a Ј60 all-you-can-drink champagne brunch at the Le Meridien Hotel, close to Dubai Airport.
One witness, a 21-year-old Palestinian man, told police he saw them "start kissing" after getting out of a taxi.
According to Mr Ahli, the police officer who made the arrests described seeing Miss Palmer with her "shirt off" and "sitting on" Mr Acors.
The officer said the couple had not noticed him until he shone his torch in their direction.
Miss Palmer, who worked for the ITP Publishing Group, was sacked following her arrest.
"Following an internal review of this incident, the company has dismissed the member of staff in question," said a company spokeswoman.
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(BBC)
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