Dubai: An Emirati student, nicknamed "Hamdan British", faces three years in jail for posing as a male prostitute and posting on the internet, indecent pictures of him wearing bikinis and cross-dressed to seduce men.

"The suspect has been found guilty and will have to serve three years in jail. The laptop which contained the indecent pictures will be confiscated," said Presiding Judge Fahmi Mounir when he pronounced the judgment in the Dubai Court of First Instance yesterday.

The 22-year-old student earlier pleaded not guilty and denied all the charges by Dubai Public Prosecution.

Presiding Judge Mounir dismissed a civil lawsuit of Dh20,000 in temporary compensation which was lodged by another Emirati suspect against the 22-year-old. The suspect claimed [in his civil lawsuit] that when he took snapshots of the 22-year-old cross-dressed, he was unaware that the latter will post them on internet.

All hearings, except for the first and yesterday's, were held behind closed doors upon the request of the convict's lawyers Jassem and Yasser Al Naqbi. The first hearing and the judgment hearing were considered public.

"No. No," the convict said when he heard the charges read out to him by Presiding Judge Mounir.

Prosecutors charged "Hamdan British", who is popular by that name on the internet.

According to records, he was also charged with allowing the other Emirati suspect to have consensual sex with him [the latter was prosecuted before the Misdemeanours Court].

Prosecutors, who questioned the convict, additionally charged him with posing as a woman and taking pictures of himself wearing women's lingerie and swimwear and posting photographs showing him dressed in women's outfits and wearing make-up.

Records said the photographs were meant to seduce men. These pictures were posted on the internet and also emailed to potential male clients.

According to the charge sheet, Chief Prosecutor Hamad Juma Al Khalafi charged the 22-year-old with impersonating a woman by cross-dressing and using women's make up and accessories.

He was also charged with offending Islam by taking a picture of himself dressed as a woman wearing a hijab and make-up and pretending to be reading the Quran and praying.

Prosecutors deemed his act as a violation of the Quran's sanctity slandering Islam.

The judgment is still subject to appeal within 15 days.