The parents of a Scot jailed in Dubai for drinking in a bar say their son's life has been ruined.

Jamie Harron, from Stirling, has been detained in the United Arab Emirates for three months.

The 27-year-old has already been sentenced to a month in jail for drinking beer and faces another three years in prison for allegedly indecently touching a man at a bar.

Mr Harron described it as a "cultural misunderstanding" and said he touched the man's hip trying not to spill his drink.

The man who made the complaint against Mr Harron later withdrew it but prosecutors in Dubai are continuing the case regardless.

In a statement released on Monday, his parents Graham and Patricia said: "Our son is still being prosecuted and still faces jail time.

"People need to understand that it is not a joke to make complaints to the police, especially in that country.

"The consequences are very serious and they can ruin people's lives as they have Jamie's."

It is legal to buy and sell alcohol at licensed premises in Dubai but police in the strict Muslim emirate can still arrest drinkers.

Mr Harron has lost his job and says he has spent more than £32,000 on legal fees and expenses so far.

In a recent voicemail he said his plans to start a new career in Afghanistan had "backfired".

"Because of all this mess over a two-day stopover, I am in debt and stand to lose my house, everything I've worked for, and my freedom," he said.

"All of the support from everyone back home has just made me feel so homesick. I miss my family so much."