"I haven't worked in the sex industry nor slept with men for money and I didn't make any lewd gesture in public," A.H. told the Dubai Court of First Instance.

The Public Prosecution had charged him with working in the sex industry by offering sexual services to men for money ranging between Dh700 and Dh1,000 per person.

A teenager, identified as A.S., and who faces the same charges has been referred to Dubai Juveniles' Court.

His legal representative has asked the court to bring in prosecution witnesses to discuss their statements.

Cross-dressing

The 31-year-old policeman who questioned the suspects said in his statement: "When I questioned the two suspects, they confessed to me that they sleep with men. They claimed that they are homosexuals and have slept with a number of men willingly and without being forced to do so. A.S. confessed to me that he used to offer sexual services for Dh700 to Dh1,000."

The policeman was quoted as saying that "A.S. started the habit of wearing female clothes and behaving like women since he was a child".

"He told me that he used to socialise and hang out with girls only. The 25-year-old said he started wearing women's clothes and behaving like women only three months prior to his arrest," the policeman stated.

Medical reports confirmed that the two suspects were used to having homosexual affairs. Court records said the two confessed to their charges to the public prosecution.

Source: Gulf News - Dubai,United Arab Emirates