Two Britons charged with having sex on a Dubai beach had a hearing in their case postponed to today week so that the policeman who arrested them could give evidence.

The Britons, who were arrested in early July, pleaded not guilty last month to charges of having sex in public and committing an indecent act in public, but have pleaded guilty to drinking alcohol without a licence.

"This lady is innocent," their lawyer Hassan Mattar told Reuters after the Dubai court of misdemeanours postponed the hearing. "The medical reports from the police show she didn't have sex."

The lawyer said his clients had asked for a quick verdict because they wanted to return to Britain as soon as possible. If found guilty, they could face two years' jail, he added.

The defendants were arrested on the beach after meeting at one of the champagne brunches held at top hotels on Fridays.

Drinking alcohol is forbidden in the UAE without a licence, but partygoers drink freely at weekends in the city's bars and nightclubs. Dr Mattar said the woman, a Dubai resident, had an alcohol licence, while the man was a visitor.

Dubai, a Gulf trade and tourism hub, attracts many foreign workers ranging from well-paid Western executives to low-wage Asian labourers.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.