Dubai Taxi Sex: British Woman Is Jailed

A British woman and Irish man accused of engaging in sexual activities in a Dubai taxi have been sentenced to three months in prison and then deportation.

Rebecca Blake and Conor McRedmond denied charges of "breach of honour with consent" and committing "an indecent act in a taxi" when they appeared in court last month.

They pleaded guilty to a third charge related to consumption of alcohol in public.

Ms Blake and Mr McRedmond's lawyer, Shaker al Shammary, said a court had sentenced them to a three-month term and deportation, in addition to a fine of 3,000 dirhams (£512) each.

He said they plan to appeal.

There have been a number of cases in recent years in which Westerners have been accused of violating decency laws in the United Arab Emirates, a country that has sought to maintain its Muslim identity while catering for the tourism industry.

In 2008, a British couple was found guilty of engaging in drunken sexual activity out of wedlock and in public on a beach in Dubai.

They were sentenced to three months in prison followed by deportation but saw their jail terms overturned on appeal.

Islam bans alcohol for Muslims. In the UAE, where expatriates make up more than 90% of the population, non-Muslims can drink at most hotels and beach bars.