Hjaelp Marnie Pearce!
'Adultery' in Dubai mum's husband is the real love cheat EXCLUSIVE by Nick Owens and Paul Henderson in Florida 29/03/2009
Marnie Pearce is jailed for adultery, which she denies, while we find love rat husband had 18-month affair.
Support Marnie and sign an online petition to have her freed
Languishing in a squalid prison cell, Marnie Pearce spends her days replaying the moment her two precious children were taken from her and she was thrown in jail.
Falsely accused of adultery by her husband, she was found guilty on suspect evidence and imprisoned by a court in Dubai – without being allowed to say anything in her defence.
Yet today The Sunday Mirror can reveal that it was her hypocrite husband Ihab El Labban who was cheating on HER.
We have discovered he had an 18-month fling with an American mother of two. Yet under draconian Sharia Law, it is Marnie who now cowers behind bars, weeping for sons Ziad, seven and Laith, four, who she fears she won’t see again until they are adults.
Last week in a double blow she learned she has lost custody of the boys and that she is likely to be deported back to Britain when she is freed.
Last night in a dramatic intervention the respected human rights charity Amnesty International said in a statement: “It is extraordinary that in 2009 a woman could be jailed for adultery.
“This is the first case we know of where a British woman has been locked up in Dubai for adultery – and there must be no more. Marnie Pearce should be released immediately. Amnesty is dismayed that from the outset Marnie has had so little support from her own government.”
Amnesty, who have adopted Marnie as a “prisoner of conscience”, insist her plight should be a priority for British diplomats. Yet her friends and supporters say it “barely registers” on the Foreign Office radar.
Marnie, 40, is adamant that she NEVER cheated on El Labban, 41 – and says he fabricated a case against her to win custody of the boys after she threw him out over his infidelity.
Our investigation has discovered that the Egyptian businessman was having an affair with US businesswoman Tonya Thompson, 46, who he met at a sales conference in Dubai in October 2007.
Ihab El Labban and Tonya Thompson
They spent a week together in the Gulf state, then the following month he flew to America to spend 10 days with her.
Tonya wrote a gushing two-page love-letter to him on notepaper from the Hotel Nikko in San Francisco saying: “I can not stop thinking about you and the lovely time we spent together.
“My two favourite memories were the first day at the beach and the last day at our very special place having a quiet dinner together under the moon. And of course the amazing nights in between.”
In an apparent reference to El Labban’s marriage – she adds: “I still find it amazing when I think of all you have sacrificed for me to show your true feelings. I love you.”
Discovering that letter devastated Marnie. It was the bitter end to a romance that began in 1997 after she moved from Bracknell, Berks to work as a florist at the Intercontinental Hotel in Muscat, Oman.
El Labban was a high-flying executive for a drugs firm. The pair started dating and married in the Seychelles on September 29, 1999. They moved to Dubai in 2002 and El Labban climbed the corporate ladder, landing a job at Procter and Gamble.
As well as a luxury home in Dubai, Marnie had a five-bedroom holiday home and five investment flats in Egypt.
But her world fell apart on December 14, 2007, when she found the love letter in El Labban’s computer case.
She threw him out at once, but claims he then flew Tonya back to Dubai and that the pair stayed at the deluxe Shangri-La Braa Al Jissah Resort in Oman in February last year. He even introduced his sons to his mistress.
In March last year, he launched his campaign to have Marnie jailed for adultery – which enabled him to win custody of the boys.
He had arranged for their maid to contact him if any man ever called at the house, and on March 27 he was joined by local police as he burst into the villa – and found Marnie having a cup of tea with fellow Briton Brian Clark, who was using her computer to email home.
The pair were arrested, locked up for six hours and interrogated about their “affair”.
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Four months later, detectives told Marnie they had seized five used condoms, a pair of men’s underpants and a man’s jacket – all handed to them by El Labban.
Prosecutors demanded Marnie give a DNA sample – and ruled two of the condoms matched her DNA.
But they never called Brian back to Dubai to check on his DNA and Marnie insists the condoms were ones she had used with her husband. While detectives investigated, Marnie spent months with her children in a filthy refuge called the City Of Hope Shelter.
She was found guilty of adultery in November and later sentenced to three months in prison. Despite protesting her innocence to her solicitor she was not allowed to speak in court – or mention El Labban’s affair.
Yet now she has to find £4,000 to give El Labban after a court ruled he should be compensated for “psychological damage” from her “adultery”.
After various appeals she went on the run in Dubai in January, hoping British diplomats would apply pressure to have the sentence overturned. Last month she decided she had no option but to hand herself in.
A heart-rending video shows Marnie collapsing and weeping as her tearful sons cling on to her saying goodbye.
El Labban wrestles the children from Marnie and then stands over her shouting in her face: “Why are you torturing the children like this?”
Marnie is seen sobbing as El Labban loads the boys into his car. They can be seen looking out of the back window and screaming for their mother as they are driven away.
Yesterday Tonya’s family in Orlando, Florida, confirmed her relationship with El Labban.
Her ex-husband Alan Thompson said: “Tonya went to Dubai where she has met a guy who she was hoping would be here for Valentine’s Day. But he didn’t make the trip.
“She called one of our daughters and said she was very disappointed.”
Tonya’s father Richard Johnson confirmed she had met up with El Labban in Orlando.
He said: “He seemed like a nice enough guy, but I didn’t know him that well.”
It is believed the affair has now ended.
Marnie’s jail ordeal is having an appalling impact on her children – who although born in the Middle East hold British passports.
Her brother Daniel Pearce said: “They miss their mum. My sister is an innocent woman whose only wish is to see her children. The Government have done nothing to help her. It’s a terrible way to treat a British citizen.”
In a further humiliation, Marnie was forced to appear in court in prison pyjamas on Wednesday after El Labban demanded a divorce under Islamic law, which means she is not entitled to any of his money.
She was led back to jail in tears. Every morning she tries to phone her sons, but El Labban often refuses to let her speak to them.
When that happens guards have to help Marnie back to her cell because she is so upset she can’t stand. She’ll later phone friends screaming for help in ending her nightmare.
Last night she said from prison: “I have always insisted it was Ihab who cheated on me and then framed me to win custody of our sons. I am just delighted and relieved that at last people are giving me the chance to make this clear. All I want is to be at home with my sons.”
A Foreign Office spokesman said: “The UK cannot interfere in the judicial procedures of another country.”
He said diplomats are visiting Marnie to check on her welfare.
“We have been and remain in contact with Ms Pearce, her family, friends and legal representative. We last visited her on March 18.”
El Labban said yesterday: “Whether I had an affair or not it is my private life. And that has nothing to do with you. Marnie can says whatever she likes. She went through a trial with a lawyer and was found guilty. She got what she deserved.”
Marnie Pearce is jailed for adultery, which she denies, while we find love rat husband had 18-month affair.
Support Marnie and sign an online petition to have her freed
Languishing in a squalid prison cell, Marnie Pearce spends her days replaying the moment her two precious children were taken from her and she was thrown in jail.
Falsely accused of adultery by her husband, she was found guilty on suspect evidence and imprisoned by a court in Dubai – without being allowed to say anything in her defence.
Yet today The Sunday Mirror can reveal that it was her hypocrite husband Ihab El Labban who was cheating on HER.
We have discovered he had an 18-month fling with an American mother of two. Yet under draconian Sharia Law, it is Marnie who now cowers behind bars, weeping for sons Ziad, seven and Laith, four, who she fears she won’t see again until they are adults.
Last week in a double blow she learned she has lost custody of the boys and that she is likely to be deported back to Britain when she is freed.
Last night in a dramatic intervention the respected human rights charity Amnesty International said in a statement: “It is extraordinary that in 2009 a woman could be jailed for adultery.
“This is the first case we know of where a British woman has been locked up in Dubai for adultery – and there must be no more. Marnie Pearce should be released immediately. Amnesty is dismayed that from the outset Marnie has had so little support from her own government.”
Amnesty, who have adopted Marnie as a “prisoner of conscience”, insist her plight should be a priority for British diplomats. Yet her friends and supporters say it “barely registers” on the Foreign Office radar.
Marnie, 40, is adamant that she NEVER cheated on El Labban, 41 – and says he fabricated a case against her to win custody of the boys after she threw him out over his infidelity.
Our investigation has discovered that the Egyptian businessman was having an affair with US businesswoman Tonya Thompson, 46, who he met at a sales conference in Dubai in October 2007.
Ihab El Labban and Tonya Thompson
They spent a week together in the Gulf state, then the following month he flew to America to spend 10 days with her.
Tonya wrote a gushing two-page love-letter to him on notepaper from the Hotel Nikko in San Francisco saying: “I can not stop thinking about you and the lovely time we spent together.
“My two favourite memories were the first day at the beach and the last day at our very special place having a quiet dinner together under the moon. And of course the amazing nights in between.”
In an apparent reference to El Labban’s marriage – she adds: “I still find it amazing when I think of all you have sacrificed for me to show your true feelings. I love you.”
Discovering that letter devastated Marnie. It was the bitter end to a romance that began in 1997 after she moved from Bracknell, Berks to work as a florist at the Intercontinental Hotel in Muscat, Oman.
El Labban was a high-flying executive for a drugs firm. The pair started dating and married in the Seychelles on September 29, 1999. They moved to Dubai in 2002 and El Labban climbed the corporate ladder, landing a job at Procter and Gamble.
As well as a luxury home in Dubai, Marnie had a five-bedroom holiday home and five investment flats in Egypt.
But her world fell apart on December 14, 2007, when she found the love letter in El Labban’s computer case.
She threw him out at once, but claims he then flew Tonya back to Dubai and that the pair stayed at the deluxe Shangri-La Braa Al Jissah Resort in Oman in February last year. He even introduced his sons to his mistress.
In March last year, he launched his campaign to have Marnie jailed for adultery – which enabled him to win custody of the boys.
He had arranged for their maid to contact him if any man ever called at the house, and on March 27 he was joined by local police as he burst into the villa – and found Marnie having a cup of tea with fellow Briton Brian Clark, who was using her computer to email home.
The pair were arrested, locked up for six hours and interrogated about their “affair”.
Advertisement - article continues below »
Four months later, detectives told Marnie they had seized five used condoms, a pair of men’s underpants and a man’s jacket – all handed to them by El Labban.
Prosecutors demanded Marnie give a DNA sample – and ruled two of the condoms matched her DNA.
But they never called Brian back to Dubai to check on his DNA and Marnie insists the condoms were ones she had used with her husband. While detectives investigated, Marnie spent months with her children in a filthy refuge called the City Of Hope Shelter.
She was found guilty of adultery in November and later sentenced to three months in prison. Despite protesting her innocence to her solicitor she was not allowed to speak in court – or mention El Labban’s affair.
Yet now she has to find £4,000 to give El Labban after a court ruled he should be compensated for “psychological damage” from her “adultery”.
After various appeals she went on the run in Dubai in January, hoping British diplomats would apply pressure to have the sentence overturned. Last month she decided she had no option but to hand herself in.
A heart-rending video shows Marnie collapsing and weeping as her tearful sons cling on to her saying goodbye.
El Labban wrestles the children from Marnie and then stands over her shouting in her face: “Why are you torturing the children like this?”
Marnie is seen sobbing as El Labban loads the boys into his car. They can be seen looking out of the back window and screaming for their mother as they are driven away.
Yesterday Tonya’s family in Orlando, Florida, confirmed her relationship with El Labban.
Her ex-husband Alan Thompson said: “Tonya went to Dubai where she has met a guy who she was hoping would be here for Valentine’s Day. But he didn’t make the trip.
“She called one of our daughters and said she was very disappointed.”
Tonya’s father Richard Johnson confirmed she had met up with El Labban in Orlando.
He said: “He seemed like a nice enough guy, but I didn’t know him that well.”
It is believed the affair has now ended.
Marnie’s jail ordeal is having an appalling impact on her children – who although born in the Middle East hold British passports.
Her brother Daniel Pearce said: “They miss their mum. My sister is an innocent woman whose only wish is to see her children. The Government have done nothing to help her. It’s a terrible way to treat a British citizen.”
In a further humiliation, Marnie was forced to appear in court in prison pyjamas on Wednesday after El Labban demanded a divorce under Islamic law, which means she is not entitled to any of his money.
She was led back to jail in tears. Every morning she tries to phone her sons, but El Labban often refuses to let her speak to them.
When that happens guards have to help Marnie back to her cell because she is so upset she can’t stand. She’ll later phone friends screaming for help in ending her nightmare.
Last night she said from prison: “I have always insisted it was Ihab who cheated on me and then framed me to win custody of our sons. I am just delighted and relieved that at last people are giving me the chance to make this clear. All I want is to be at home with my sons.”
A Foreign Office spokesman said: “The UK cannot interfere in the judicial procedures of another country.”
He said diplomats are visiting Marnie to check on her welfare.
“We have been and remain in contact with Ms Pearce, her family, friends and legal representative. We last visited her on March 18.”
El Labban said yesterday: “Whether I had an affair or not it is my private life. And that has nothing to do with you. Marnie can says whatever she likes. She went through a trial with a lawyer and was found guilty. She got what she deserved.”