DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, March 17 (UPI) -- A British woman convicted of adultery in Dubai has lost her appeal and now faces a prison term, deportation and the loss of her children.
The Court of Cassation cut Marnie Pearce's jail time in half from six months to three, al-Arabiya reported Tuesday. She must also pay her husband $5,500 in compensation.
Pearce's Egyptian husband accused her of adultery after the couple separated in December 2007. Hamdi al-Sheewi, who was seeking custody of their two sons, now aged 4 and 8, accused his wife of having sex with a man who has not been publicly identified.
Denying the charge, Pearce says that her husband only made the accusation to get the boys, the Gulf News reported.
Pearce attempted to flee with her sons but surrendered last month, the National, a United Arab Emirates newspaper said.
A separate hearing will be held to determine custody that Pearce is expected to lose.
"A mother convicted of an honor crime usually forfeited her right to apply for custody," Abdulhamid al-Kumaity, a lawyer, told the National.
