:: A man who insulted his wife via WhatsApp is to be deported from the UAE, a court has ruled.

The couple, who have been married for more than 20 years, had been involved in a family dispute when the man left the house after a heated argument, UAE daily Gulf News reported.

The man then sent a series of abusive messages via WhatsApp to his wife, who then lodged a complaint with the Sharjah Court of First Instance.

She said: “He texted me on WhatsApp messages that were full of offensive words.”

Her husband was initially fined 5,000 dirhams ($1,360) under the cybercrime law, but the public prosecution appealed the ruling.

The Sharjah Appeals Court ordered the man be deported in addition to the fine.

It is a criminal offense in the UAE to send offensive or abusive messages via social media and apps such as WhatsApp.