Dubai: A housemaid and her former employer were jailed for three months each for having consensual sex.

The Dubai Misdemeanour Court sentenced the Sri Lankan defendants, the 27-year-old housemaid, O.D., and her 38-year-old employer, P.H., to three months each followed by deportation.

When the defendants stood trial before the presiding judge, P.H. pleaded guilty and admitted having consensual sex.

However, O.D. told the court: "No, I did not have sex with him."

Court records said the case surfaced shortly after P.H. accused his maid of stealing Dh40,000 worth of jewellery and accessories that belonged to his wife.

Prosecution records said the theft charges were dropped against O.D. due to lack of evidence. The two accused have appealed the primary judgment and are to appear before the Appeal Court soon.

Vacation

Records said P.H. and his family along with the maid went on vacation. During the vacation, O.D. told her sponsor she wanted to stay in her country and asked him to cancel her visa.

P.H. cancelled her visa and when he returned to Dubai he suspected that she had stolen his wife's jewellery and gold accessories.

The employer complained to the police. A few days later, according to prosecution records, O.D. called the employer's wife over the telephone and told her she had returned to Dubai and that she had not stolen her belongings.

"Police arrested me later. I denied stealing the jewellery. I worked for P.H. for around a year, during which he had sex with me many times. He lodged the robbery complaint against me because I asked him to stop having sex with me and to cancel my visa," O.D. told prosecutors.