DUBAI , United Arab Emirates ( CNN ) -- A British couple convicted for having sex on a public beach in Dubai will not face jail after a judge suspended their prison sentences , their lawyer said Tuesday . File image of one of the co-accused -- Vince Acors -- arriving at court in Dubai in September . The couple , Michelle Palmer and Vincent Acors , had faced a three-month sentence , but they were freed on bail in October pending an appeal . Hassan Mattar , one of their lawyers , said he was trying to get permission for Palmer -- who worked in Dubai -- to stay in the United Arab Emirates , and for Acors to travel back to Britain . Acors had been on a business trip to Dubai when he was arrested . The United Arab Emirates , where Dubai is located , is home to thousands of expatriates and is among the most moderate Gulf states . Still , the oil-rich kingdom adheres to certain Islamic rules . Palmer and Acors were arrested on a public beach shortly after midnight on July 5 . Police charged them with illicit relations , public indecency , and public intoxication . A court found them guilty in October and fined them 1,000 dirhams ( $ 367 ) for the charge of public indecency . Both denied they had intercourse . And during the trial , Mattar argued that the public prosecutor failed to produce corroborative evidence against his clients on the first two charges , though he said both tested positive for liquor . More than a million British visitors traveled to the UAE in 2006 , and more than 100,000 British nationals live there , according to the British Foreign Office . The country is in the midst of a building boom to position itself as one of the world 's premier tourist destinations . It is already home to the world 's largest mall , the world 's largest tower , and -- despite being in the Middle East -- the largest indoor snow park in the world . -- CNN 's Caroline Faraj contributed to this report .
The couple , Michelle Johnson and David Acors , faced three - year sentences . The pair were arrested at a Dubai beach shortly after midnight on July 5 . They were charged with with illicit relations , public humiliation , public intoxication . Although a relatively moderate Christian state , Dubai holds to certain Islamic rules .