We've all done it (c'mon, or thought about doing it) - but is it legal?

Is sex on the beach legal?

clipped from news.bbc.co.uk Two Britons have appeared in court in Dubai after allegedly having sex on a beach in the Muslim emirate. What would happen if a couple got frisky on a beach in the UK? They admit drinking but deny the other charges. If found guilty at next week's trial, the punishment is between three months and six years in jail. It is rare for an amorous couple to appear in court, says criminal lawyer Mark Haslam, of BCL Burton Copeland. If police do spot a couple engaging in al fresco love making, they are more likely to issue a caution or warning. "But if it is reported by a passing - and outraged - member of the public, the couple are likely to be prosecuted and would probably be fined, with the case reported gleefully in the local press," says Mr Banks. "It would be regarded as a much more serious offence in the Middle East, most of Asia, Africa and most Catholic countries - and probably the USA too."