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| Dubai adultery woman out of jail | Dubai adultery woman out of jail |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A British mother jailed in the United Arab Emirates for adultery has been released from prison. | A British mother jailed in the United Arab Emirates for adultery has been released from prison. |
| Marnie Pearce, 40, who is originally from Bracknell in Berkshire, was convicted of cheating on her Egyptian ex-husband and jailed in February. | Marnie Pearce, 40, who is originally from Bracknell in Berkshire, was convicted of cheating on her Egyptian ex-husband and jailed in February. |
| As a result she lost custody of her two sons, aged eight and four, last month. | As a result she lost custody of her two sons, aged eight and four, last month. |
| A spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) confirmed Ms Pearce left the Dubai jail where she had been held, on Monday morning. | |
| The supply teacher was handed a three-month prison sentence after her conviction and had faced deportation upon her release from prison. | The supply teacher was handed a three-month prison sentence after her conviction and had faced deportation upon her release from prison. |
| But an FCO spokeswoman said the deportation order had been suspended to allow Ms Pearce to stay in the UAE after her release to fight for custody of her children. | But an FCO spokeswoman said the deportation order had been suspended to allow Ms Pearce to stay in the UAE after her release to fight for custody of her children. |
| She should never have been imprisoned in the first place Tim Hancock, Amnesty International | She should never have been imprisoned in the first place Tim Hancock, Amnesty International |
| Ms Pearce had been held in the women's section of Dubai Central Jail in Al Awir and launched two appeals against her conviction, both of which were unsuccessful. | Ms Pearce had been held in the women's section of Dubai Central Jail in Al Awir and launched two appeals against her conviction, both of which were unsuccessful. |
| Her supporters said her three-month sentence had been cut in an apparent U-turn, on account of good behaviour. | Her supporters said her three-month sentence had been cut in an apparent U-turn, on account of good behaviour. |
| However, her brother Daniel Pearce said she had served her full sentence, which he said was 69 days. | However, her brother Daniel Pearce said she had served her full sentence, which he said was 69 days. |
| He said she had not been pardoned and that her conviction still stood. | He said she had not been pardoned and that her conviction still stood. |
| Tim Hancock, of Amnesty International, said: "She should never have been imprisoned in the first place. But her release is far from the end of this story. | |
| "Marnie's suffering will continue as she is not able to see her sons and she does not know if she will be able to see them again." | "Marnie's suffering will continue as she is not able to see her sons and she does not know if she will be able to see them again." |
| Prison term cut | |
| Ms Pearce was arrested and accused of committing adultery with a British man, who she insists was only a friend, in March last year. | |
| She was convicted in November and jailed on 19 February. | |
| Her prison term was reduced from six months at her first appeal. | |
| She denied the adultery claims made by her ex-husband, Ihab El-Labban, who now has custody of their children. | |
| She first met him in Oman and married him in the Seychelles in September 1999. | |
| They moved to Dubai, but the relationship eventually broke down. | |
| Last Thursday, a protest march in support of Ms Pearce to London's United Arab Emirates Embassy was cancelled when supporters were told her case was being reviewed. |