Brit mum jailed in Dubai for adultery to be freed by pardon

British mum Marnie Pearce, jailed in Dubai after being accused of adultery, has won a pardon and will be freed.

The 40-year-old had been taken into custody after her former Egyptian husband Ihab El Labban falsely accused her of cheating on him.

Pearce, who has vehemently denied the charge, was to be deported back to the UK following her sentence, which would have kept her from meeting her of sons Laith, eight, and Ziad, four, forever.

But she has now been allowed to stay in Dubai, where adultery is an offence under law, and would contest for the custody of her lads.

"I didn't dare believe I would ever have the chance to hug my babies again. When I first heard the deportation order was going to be lifted I just felt numb. When the news did sink in I cried tears of joy," the Mirror quoted her as saying.

While the ruling ordering deportation was trashed, the conviction for adultery would still be upheld under the terms of her pardon.

Pearce, from Bracknell, Berks, said she was accused of the crime after she confronted Labban, her former better half of 10 years, with his extra marital affair with an American woman.

A grateful Pearce added: "I want to thank the Sunday Mirror for helping to raise awareness of my case and keeping it in the public eye."

"It has been very tough in jail and hard to stay positive. I was completely heartbroken at the thought of not seeing my sons again. Now at least I have some sort of chance of access."