Briton faces jail for adultry - Dubai
A British mother faces jail in Dubai after being convicted of adultery.
Miss Pearce, 40, claims she was framed by Egyptian Ihab El-Labban so he could win custody of their children, Laith, seven and Ziad, three.
She was found guilty of adultery in a Dubai court last month after being denied the opportunity to represent herself.
Miss Pearce was only allowed to speak briefly when she returned to court on Christmas Day to register an appeal.
Under the law in Dubai, adultery is punishable by flogging - or more usually jail. If her appeal fails, she is facing six months in prison followed by deportation. Those found guilty can also lose custody rights to their children.
Miss Pearce, originally from Bracknell, Berkshire, has been banned from leaving the Arab state. 'The way I am being treated is barbaric,' she said yesterday. 'I am begging the British Government to step in. I feel I've been ignored by the courts because I'm a woman.'
Fighting back tears, she added: 'There is not a shred of evidence against me, yet I've been found guilty. I feel angry and frightened.'
Ms Pearce met her ex-husband 16 years ago when she was working in Oman. They married and had two children Laith, seven and Ziad, three.
But the marriage collapsed, Ms Pearce says, after she discovered a love letter sent to her husband by an American woman.
'He went white, admitted the affair and I chucked him out,' she claims.
She alleges he then began a vendetta to prove she cheated on him to win custody of their two sons.
Describing the moment police raided their family home in Dubai, she says: 'It was like something out of James Bond. I was having a cup of tea with a colleague's brother-in-law when the police stormed in. My husband was screaming, 'You are having an affair - I am going to get the kids.''
Ms Pearce and her friend were handcuffed and locked up. Her passport was seized and she was interrogated about the alleged affair.
'I kept repeating there had been no affair. I was in shock,' she said.
But her husband later threw her out of the family home and she and her sons moved into a shelter where they contracted meningitis.
Then 16 weeks after Ms Pearce's arrest, she was told by detectives that they had seized five used condoms, men's underpants and a man's jacket. But she claims they were planted by her ex-husband.
Ms Pearce is now facing six months in jail followed by deportation and the prospect of never seeing her children again if her appeal fails.
Mr El-Labban denies having an affair or framing his ex-wife. He added: 'We had problems for quite a while and we tried to live with things but I decided to take a break for the kids. She then had an affair.'
Bracknell MP Andrew Mackay has now taken up Ms Pearce's case with the Foreign Office.
'We can confirm that Marnie Pearce is involved in an ongoing court case in Dubai and we are in touch with her and providing consular assistance. We understand she has been accused and found guilty of adultery,' a Foreign Office spokesman last night.
Daily Mail
*warning* 6monthly post approaching......
so we should be chucked in jail for having a coffee with someone now? Years ago my mother warned me against boys who wanted 'something else'.........I never knew that a coffee would lead me down the road to ruin......
I was in carrefour, Landmark, the other day and saw the husband of an old and dear friend from our days in Saudi. Gave him a hug, kiss on the cheek. He was a friend, the husband of a dear friend. NOT remotely my type, even if we were the last couple on earth, but I should be wary in case we are seen to be incapable of controlling our lust by those in control????
Ive been an expat for 8 years, 4 of those in saudi, lol,and really should know better and I am still morally, emotionally outraged at this story of a woman possibly losing custody of her boys...please tell me I'm not the only one?
Amanda
www.expatcooks.com - I cook badly therefore I am......the Anti Chef..........LOL
I've just read this on the Daily Mail website....the comments are really against this woman pleading this and the majority said said she should have known what she was getting into and have no sympathy...interesting
"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach
He's a National Enquirer reader remember.... He uses the above method when he's suffering from recurring flatulation...
"RED_POPE said Why is the Sun and Daily ...
Why is the Sun and Daily mall newspaper are being partial in the story? Maybe they need to ask the National Inquirer for more details."
According to the National Enquirer:
To stop hiccups, slide your index finger along the upper palette of the mouth until you reach the soft part then massage slowly through two hiccups...viola!!
bald brits with frech beard popi...
UKeng - welcome back
______________________________________________
Every society is judged by how
it treats it's least fortunates.
British, need anyone say anymore.
-----------------------------------------------------
Don't get angry with me! I'm only typing what you are thinking!
Nicole-b could be right .. but good questions, Blue.
"denied the opportunity to represent herself." doubtful (unless nicole is right) - since Dubai prides itself on being open and cosmopolitan. The statement implies that it was purposely done. It could be simply procedural - that the summons was not served on her (but deemed served according to applicable laws) and she didn't know the hearing date and thus did not turn up and judgment was entered against her in default thereof. (Eg. service of summons could be at her last known address and if she wasn't in, a few attempts sufficient to satisfy court that the summons is deemed properly served, etc. I dunno. Maybe or maybe not but ... insufficient details).
As for the report - one sided focus (even though the husband was questioned by the reporters), slant allowed by the editors because of policy of criticizing Dubai maybe. Attempt to garner public support to foster change to, say ... protection of freedoms like sex on the beach?
DNA testing - good but may come up with (an)other suspect(s). She alleges being framed, so she has to prove it. The husband has already proved a pf case against her - having tea with a man alone, used condoms, underpants and jacket. So the burden shifts to her but proving her side might be an uphill task - depending ...
/But having said all the above, to be fair to the newspapers - it is understandable that they would not want to publish too many details as then it would be a "trial by the press and public" when rightly, it is tried by the courts. It's just that that article/report should make fair comment for both parties instead of the one sided story it ended up publishing.
//One concise paragraph with husband's side of the story cf the several paragraphs of the wife's side of the story is a bit glaring, don't you think? Stating facts, yeah.. but could have condensed the several paragraphs into just 1 or 2.
*****************************************
Don't want no drama,
No, no drama, no, no, no, no drama
VB are you suggesting Polygamy?
-----------------
HE WHO DARES WINS
HHmm.... so this is the famous donkey on the beach eh.. did he commit any crime in dubai, UAE too..
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Heard your wife left you,
How upset you must be.
But don't fret about it...
She moved in with me.
those not satisfied with ONE!
VB Remarry? why not marry.. is like saying.. marry here again as if the first time wasnt enough...lol
-----------------
HE WHO DARES WINS
Why is the Sun and Daily mall newspaper are being partial in the story? Maybe they need to ask the National Inquirer for more details.
remarry with your intimate lovely GF's....
In short, we have to compromise with GCC regulations (law of the land) sometimes...or manytimes.
Embassies aren't really there to get you out of trouble!
VB Now how do you register a friendship and with which authority? please advise?
-----------------
HE WHO DARES WINS
all brits should learn lesson and legalise their relationships, I mean register it with correct authorities...take care and cheers!
Jasmine I hear you on the embassy assistance issue, but if you will check with your embassy they will promptly tell you that they do not get involved with legal cases, especially domestic. The consensus is, if you decide to marry another nationality outside of your own country you should be aware of the 'risks' involved. Also, if it is a dispute where you are deemed in breach of the law of the country you are in (not where you are from) the embassy may possibly advise you of a local lawyer but thats it.
_____________________________________________________
"Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock - Will Rogers"
I just hope the British Embassy in Dubai is more helpful than the Doha one. Everyone deserves to be represented by their home country when they are in trouble. Whilst I agree that Brits have an increasingly bad reputation in the Gulf, I also feel that the Western press will report this in a way that shows Dubai in a negative light.
Recent events will do nothing to help the tourism. I am glad that they made an example of the other famous Brit couple though, that's just plain rude wherever you are in the world.
We should also hear the other side of the story. I have a few questions:
Denied the opportunity to represent herself??? I never heard about this happening in any court in the GCC. Maybe she was out of the country and wouldn't go on the court dates? It says "when she returned to court on Christmas Day" Maybe she refused to go, and only went there after she lost?
They were never divorced, so she's still his wife(the marriage collapsed means absolutely nothing). Any extramarital relation is considered adultery (I'm sure she thinks that since she kicked him out, she can do whatever she wants).
She should have gone through the legal system at its full, she should have been in court with her lawyer and said her defense BEFORE the judge ruled, it looks like she's just an arrogant sore loser.
Telegraph..now that is a bit more information. Broadsheets are always a bit more accurate then Tabloids..
-----------------
HE WHO DARES WINS
Her brother said his sister was being represented by respected lawyer Samira Adbulla Gargash, who is based in Dubai, and has accrued a legal bill of around £60,000.
A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that British national Marnie Pearce is involved in an ongoing court case in Dubai.
"The Foreign Office is providing consular assistance."
Her MP Mr MacKay said: "Marnie contacted me by email from Dubai because I was her MP when she lived in Bracknell years ago.
"Her father and his partner still live in the town and I have been in touch with them to reassure them that we are doing all we can to help.
"I have been written to Lord Malloch-Brown, the minister responsible for UK embassies abroad, to ensure that appropriate action is being taken to help her."
If I had 5 condoms lying about I dont know that I would have the energy for tea... a cigarette maybe but tea???
Amoud.. the reason for mentioning the nationality was that the Story reads "Brition Faces Jail....." We hear these kind of stories of Fathers from certain parts of the world taking their kids without the approval of the Mothers (mostly ex-wifes) so Kidnap is not a far off word for such behaviour.. Then the long custody battles to get the kids back with their mother and so on..
-----------------
HE WHO DARES WINS
UK, as correct as you are I wouldnt put a nationality on child kidnapping, even when it is their own children. As I said before, this is exactly what we are calling it, a story. I dont think a great deal of reporting went into this one. I think the lady called up the Mail and gave her version. The Mail is looking for quantity, not quality.
_____________________________________________________
"Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock - Will Rogers"
Brit...Yes the Sun any day..especially Page 3...God I miss the Sun...lol
-----------------
HE WHO DARES WINS
I am here to tell our enemies that they may block access to The Mail.... but they'll never take our FREEDOM to surf the net and read The SUN!!
Its not the first time we hear Egyptian male either kidnapping their children and taking them to Egypt from the UK. The only difference this time is that it is not on UK turf. I think there is more to the Story than being reported by the Daily Mail.
-----------------
HE WHO DARES WINS
ok ok now i know which nicole you are :D
UAE embassy should never allow any QLer to Dubai. :P
Don't underestimate the strings and the "wasta" that arabs pull together and play on in order to get what they want.... don't forget that laws regarding family issues, such as adultery, custody of children, divorce and so on are basically similar in most of the Middle-Eastern Countries; and so very different then other countries (i.e. Western and European).
If she brings up the fact that her husband was the one cheating, she would get a pat on the shoulders and smirks behind her back.
Even though, Dubai has come a long way from the prejudiced and biased views regarding such issues...it remains ingrained in their blood, in their heritage, in their moral norms and values...
So the story definitely will have gaps, and obviously they are ignored...She was not given a chance to talk, to defend, to say anything at all.... i.e. she was condemned way before the trial, and the trial was only a farce show to document something down and claim it as legal.
to blockall of his access to Daily Mail. and specially to sexual reports that he is lookin around for in them.
I think I will ask qtel to block the Daily Mail web site.
So brits are getting famous in Middle East nowadays. lolzzz......
I dont understand that why did he throw his kids out with her and let them stay at shelter. If he is claiming to get custody, he should have started by not throwing them out. I dont know what kind of father this dude is.
Wait rest of the story will also come out soon. Poor lady and poor kids.
Peace.
Sorry. I am a sad sad person. sinking to new lows of depravity. My new year resolution is not to read the Daily Mail...
brit - stop trying to defend the Daily Mail!
I dont get that she wasnt allowed to represent herself either. This is another 'fact' of this case that makes no sense. Something is amiss, I think this story was printed by solely interviewing the accused.
_____________________________________________________
"Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock - Will Rogers"
Definitely its all being played in order for him to get the kids...
WYSIWYG
you better get your donkeys tested i dont want you to get infected and later get on news A POPE WAS INFECTED BY USED CONDOMS :D
The Times and other papers are carrying it also.
There is a wider issue at stake here - The Children. It seems that the father is using this to gain custody of the children.
Lots of grey areas.
Would the DNA test be enough?1 I mean i dunno is it ienough evidence?!
WYSIWYG
If they try under Islamic law, don't there have to be something like 4 witnesses to the adulterous act?
So if they don't have that, are tried under non-Islamic law, then just do a DNA test.
Something is definitely a-miss. Imagine that - the Daily Mail running a sensationalist story without having all the facts.
You didn't have to remove it! It just made me spit my cornflakes everywhere.
the first time he threw her out of the house, it was her & the kids, and they lived in the shelter until they got sick..
and there was a time where she kicked him out.. i mean i dunno but isnt there any witnesses to all these..
some detail is missing or being left out
WYSIWYG
Disturbing Gif.
Nah, I've just told her that she must be eating too many pies ;)
Good for you... Hope all goes well and he/she brings you lots of joy and happiness.
By the way, does Mrs tallG know ??
Drac - that gif is very disturbing!
There is a lot more to this story.. Please read carefuly.
She was kicked out by the husband. She was living in a shelter. He wants custody of the kids. He has accused her of adultery. She denies it.
Hah, I've got a sprog on the way SPEED so the chances of me getting any in the near future are pretty slim!
RP, based on the evidence it is integral rather than social. Also, remember that a lot of the GCC countries (with saudi being the exception) are not ruled only by Sharia law. Forensic evidence has been used in both Dubai and Qatar as a means of eradicating the truth. Your comment may still stand, but your donkey/beach/photo still has me scrathcing my head.
____________________________________________________
"Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock - Will Rogers"
[img_assist|nid=53652|title=|desc=|link=none|align=center|width=|height=0]
Since they are so set to believe that the woman commited adultery.. the least they can do is investigate it completely.
But if the DNA test proves that the condomns were used by men other than her husband, would that mean she committed adultery? no... i mean if a woman was to commit adultery in her own home..w ould she leave the condoms lying around? not forgetting to mention mens underpants & jacket...
This is hilarious.. i mean it is very obvious that the whole scenario is being played out..
WYSIWYG
I don't think any place is safe with ANY MALE Brits hanging around in the world, they are CRAZY! Specially the bald head ones. J/K
Welcome back!
My comment stands, sorry for the gender screw up.
I actually don't believe that forensics science combine with DNA testing is something that has not being integrated into the ISLAMIC social laws. Due to the fact, females are consider inferior.
Thanks for the correction RP.
_______________________________________________________
"Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock - Will Rogers"
Maybe we need to ask the experts.
How many condoms will that Donkey in the photo you send me, would be utilizing in that beach?
Should we ask Amoud, since she is already curious about prophylactics and DNA testing.
Dubai is no longer safe for Brits anymore?
-----------------
HE WHO DARES WINS
RP, I have been reading your posts this morning and can only come to this conclusion.... Are you drunk? Donkeys, beach, photo?
Oh, and another point, I am a woman.... and since the used condoms are a basis for a case against a woman who can loose her children I would think it would be public interest rather than my own personal curiousity?
____________________________________________________
"Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock - Will Rogers"
Ooops, I missed the "used" bit. Sorry.
Yeah, you'd think 5 used condoms would make it a pretty simple case to solve, one way or the other.
Nope Tallg... said 5 used condoms. I am assuming that they were not used as water balloons :).
All in all there is still something missing from this story. It doesnt piece together right for some reason.
Da, it was the first thing that seemed bizarre, basing their case on 5 used condoms. Just testing them should clear up the theory of them being planted?
____________________________________________________
"Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock - Will Rogers"
Poor thing
______________________________________________
Every society is judged by how
it treats it's least fortunates.
and cancel his QL exit permit! :)
It just says they seized 5 condoms, not whether they were used or not. If they were used then you'd figure a simple DNA test would confirm if the affair took place.
to Dubai then you will see the newspaper daily with news like
Britexpat caught today at Jumairah
next day Caught in Dubai
next day caught in Ajman
next day caught in Sharja
next day Caught in Abu Dhabi
he is too much you dont know him :P
all in all you had to comment only on Condoms :/
Just curious about the condoms.... if they are used and were planted by the ex-husband wouldnt it be a bit hard to have the 'markings' of her alleged lover?
I dunno, something is missing from this story...
____________________________________________________
"Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock - Will Rogers"
the one in Qatar are naughty very very very naughty
The ones in Qatar are nice. Its the ones in Dubai that give us a bad name.
huh :P
oh you too brit expat :D