A British tourist from Kent has been jailed for a year in Dubai after being found guilty of using a fake credit card to pay for a luxury holiday with his girlfriend.

Lucas Belmonte, 23, from Cliffe near Rochester, was also fined £20,000 and has spent the last six weeks in a police cell.

He is believed to have "signed" a confession admitting he had used the stolen card to stay in a five-star hotel over New Year.

Belmonte was told if he signed a statement translated in Arabic, his girlfriend would be allowed to leave the country without charge.

His case has been taken up by the London-based Detained in Dubai organisation, which is campaigning for his release.

Radha Stirling from the group said this morning: "We shall be lodging an appeal. We have been talking to his mother Louise, who is very emotional."

She has visited the United Arab Emirates embassy in London to urge representatives to fight for her son.

The couple checked into a hotel on December 30, but were not happy and relocated to the deluxe Jumeriah Beach Hotel where rooms can cost up to £500 a night.

Belmonte's girlfriend is believed to come from Essex.