Two British law graduates who were arrested in Brazil on suspicion of fraudulently claiming they were robbed are to plead guilty to the charge, their lawyer has said.
Shanti Andrews and Rebecca Turner, both 23, appeared in court in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday accused of attempted insurance fraud.
The pair, who both studied at the University of Sussex, were again bailed to a hotel in the city where they will remain until they go on trial on August 17.
Their lawyer Renato Tonini said the evidence against the women would be heard before they were invited to formally enter their pleas under to the Brazilian justice system.
He said: "They didn't plead guilty today, they just had the charge read out to them in English through an interpreter. They will plead guilty. Their guilty pleas will be said at the end of the trial."
Asked whether the pair were likely to be given prison sentences, Mr Tonini said: "I don't think that will happen."
He said there were a number of other possible punishments.
He added: "It could be a fine, it could be social service in England, social service in Brazil, there are a lot of possibilities."
Mr Tonini said Andrews, from Frant, near Tunbridge Wells, Kent, and Turner, from Woolton Hill, near Newbury, Berkshire, were both "relieved" to be out of prison and remained confident they would be treated fairly by the Brazilian justice system.
