The scene of the crime.

The British couple arrested for allegedly having sex on a public beach in Dubai last July has been sentenced to 3 months in jail by a UAE court. Michelle Palmer, a publishing executive who had resided in the Persian Gulf Emirate at the time of the incident, and Vince Acors, a visiting businessman from London were apprehended for were apprehended on a public Dubai beach after attending one of the infamous, all you can drink Champagne brunches that have become extremely popular with Westerners in the boom town. The couple was also ordered to pay a $242 fine and will be deported immediately after serving their prison sentence.

The case has put the Government of Dubai in an unenviable position as it tries to balance the strict traditions of the Islamic culture on the Arabian peninsula with the hedonistic pursuits of the Western businessmen and tourists the Emirate lures in its efforts to become an international destination.

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The Government of Dubai has detained 79 beachgoers for offenses ranging from topless sunbathing, full on nudity, and alleged sexy-time over the past two weeks. Newly planted undercover officers have been strolling the Emirate’s beaches while new guard towers survey the sands to enforce local indecency laws in the Islamic City-State. The government says they began the campaign after a British couple were caught allegedly having sex on a Dubai beach earlier this month.

Since then a total of 79 people have been detained by the government for activities “disturbing families enjoying the beach” according to a spokesman for Dubai’s Criminal Investigation Department. First time offenders may be issued a warning, but if there is a repeat offense the person could be sent to a public prosecutor for possible criminal charges.

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