Gulf News 
 

Dubai, Dec 19: An Australian manager and a Filipina receptionist are pleading guilty to hugging and kissing in public besides consuming liquor, a court heard yesterday.

The 37-year-old manager and 35-year-old receptionist confessed to the Dubai Court of Appeal yesterday that they committed an indecent gesture in public after they were caught hugging and kissing during Ramadan in a coffee shop.

The Dubai Court of First Instance earlier sentenced the defendants to one month in jail for kissing and hugging in public and fined them Dh1,000 for consuming liquor.

The manager told the judge that he does not have a liquor permit and confessed to drinking.

Police were told earlier that a government employee saw the couple exchanging kisses in the coffee shop on Shaikh Zayed Road. The defendants said earlier that "they were unaware that kissing in public is punishable by law".

The employee said he warned them against the "unacceptable behaviour, especially in public". He claimed that they continued what they were doing after which he said he had to call the police.

The verdict will be announced later this month.