An Australian lawn bowls coach who fell in love with his star Muslim player has spoken of the moment he was arrested and faced a year in prison because the couple did not have a chaperone.

Tony Scott moved to the Nation of Brunei after he was recruited to lead the Islamic country's lawn bowls team to victory at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Mr Scott told A Current Affair on Thursday he and his top player, Muslim mother Sita Kamis, fell in love within a matter of weeks - much to his surprise - but their euphoria ended abruptly when he was charged with violating Sharia Law.

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Tony Scott, an Australian lawn bowls coach who fell in love with his star Muslim player Sita Kamis, (pictured together) faced 12 months in a Brunei prison for being alone in his house with his new partner

Mr Scott moved to the Nation of Brunei after he was recruited to lead the Islamic country's lawn bowls team to victory at the 2014 Commonwealth Games

But within weeks of starting his new job, Mr Scott said he and Sita (pictured) began a relationship

'There's no way I would have thought, me an Englishmen moving to an Islamic country, would fall in love with a Muslim – there was no way in the world,' he said.

Other members of the lawn bowls team became jealous and angry about the relationship, so they tried repeatedly to have him dismissed, Mr Scott said.

Before long, Mr Scott said he awoke to a knock at his door in the middle of the night and was confronted by Sharia Law police.

'I heard the screeching of wheels in my driveway. I didn't know what it was I just thought it was the neighbours or something like that,' he said.

Soon after, Mr Scott was arrested and the couple were charged with the Sharia Law of confinement

Mr Scott said the other teammates (pictured) turned on the couple and tried repeatedly to get him fired

A group of 20 officers carrying warrants began searching Mr Scott's luxury home and charged the couple with the Sharia crime of confinement, meaning an unmarried man and woman spent time alone without a chaperone.

Mr Scott is the first Australian man to ever be charged with the crime, according to A Current Affair.

'I was scared mate, I was terrified, I was terrified, in shock, just in shock, I hadn't done anything wrong,' Mr Scott said of the moment his passport was seized and he was told he could face one year in jail.

Mr Scott had his Australian passport seized and he was told he could face one year in jail

The couple had no choice but to plead guilty to the charge, because in the eyes of the Islamic government they already were, and fled to Australia.

'I have to leave my family – of course I miss them,' Sita said.

The entire ordeal, including legal fees, has cost the couple $150,000, mr Scott Said.

Mr Scott and Sita now live on the mid-north coast of New South Wales.