Sex-on-the-beach Briton's grovelling apology to Dubai ... but he still faces 6 years in jail
By
Dan Newling
Last updated at 8:55 AM on 15th July 2008
The British businessman facing
six years in prison for having sex on a Dubai beach has appealed to the authorities for leniency in a grovelling public apology.
In a letter addressed to the people of Dubai, Vince Acors said he was "humbled and humiliated" by his actions and claimed he felt "honest and abject remorse".
Although he concedes that he
was very drunk and acted offensively, he denied the most serious accusation of having penetrative sex with a woman he is not married to.
The Daily Mail can reveal that the truth of this claim will be established later this week by an internal test on DNA taken from Michelle Palmer, 36.
A Dubai police source said: "In order for the charge of extra-marital sex to be brought, we need to know for sure whether there was sperm inside her and whose it is."
So sorry: Vince Acors wrote a letter of apology to the people of Dubai
Mr Acors, 34, first met Miss Palmer, a saleswaoman, at an all-you-can-drink brunch party on Friday 4th July. Ten hours later they were caught, semi-naked, on the city's Jumeirah beach.
When police tried to arrest the couple a drunken Miss Palmer -- who has lived in Dubai for three years -- launched a bitter tirade at the arresting officer, shouting: "You can't arrest me. I'll sue you."
The pair have been released on bail, but have surrendered their passports. They could face trial before the end of next week.
Yesterday (MON), in an apparent attempt to gain the court's favour -- as well as earn public sympathy -- Mr Acors gave a local paper a thorough written apology.
He wrote: "I have been accused of engaging in indecent relations in a public place which I deny, although
I readily admit that my conduct and behaviour was inappropriate and beyond the bounds of acceptability.
Caught out: Michelle Palmer and a friend attend a social function in Dubai
"Having drunk more than I should during the course of day, a friendly encounter with a female acquaintance became overly affectionate at a time and place when
we both should have known better.
"I am deeply ashamed of my actions and the offence and trouble they have caused."
The father-of-one from Bromley in Kent goes on to claim that he is "hard working" and said that his conduct was "totally out of character"
Under Dubai law, the courts can take into account a defendant's remorse during sentencing. No doubt aware of this, Mr Acors ends with a verbose statement of contrition.
He writes: "Since being in Dubai I have been welcomed and treated with great warmth and hospitality by the people of this city.
"I have sadly betrayed that generosity shown to me, but I sincerely hope that this statement will show my honest and abject remorse and genuine condition regarding my conduct.
"My apology to the people of Dubai is both profound and solemn."
Yesterday a Dubai lawyer - who would not be named due to the a legal ban on commenting on impending court cases - said the move could work to Mr Acors' advantage.
He said: "It's a very blunt tactic, but it may help. The fact that he does not attempt to justify his actions may go down well with the judge."
Dubai's prosecution service will decide later this week whether - and with what - the pair will be charged.
The state's chief of police has said that he is confident
Miss Palmer, from Oakham in Rutland, will be charged with assaulting a police officer, being drunk in public and having unmarried sex .
Miss Palmer and Mr Acors are unlikely to contest the drunk in public charge as blood tests have revealed that Mr Acors had 149 mg alcohol per 100 ml of his blood and Miss Palmer had 127 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood.
Both blood alcohol readings are more than the British drink-drive limit of 80 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. They clearly breach Dubai's ban having any alcohol in public places.
The Dubai authorities claim to have clamped down on lewd behaviour in the light on international interest in the sex-on-the-beach case.
Yesterday they said that security guards will in future patrol the oil-rich emirate's beaches and that 24-hour floodlights will be used to catch people "in flagrante". Seventy-nine foreigners have been caught in the last fortnight, none of them British, police said.
Abdullah Mohammed Rafa, assistant director general for public affairs the Dubai municipality, said: "These new personnel have been deployed, especially at the Jumeirah open beach, because of the incident that happened there last week."
