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| Couple fined for 'revolting behaviour' after sex act at Hyde Park concert | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A couple have been fined £1,000 for their “revolting behaviour” after having oral sex during a crowded BBC Radio 2 concert in Hyde Park, London. | A couple have been fined £1,000 for their “revolting behaviour” after having oral sex during a crowded BBC Radio 2 concert in Hyde Park, London. |
| Judge Charles Wide QC said Lisanne Beck, 47, and her boyfriend Simon Murphy, 48, had no one but themselves to blame for ending up at a jury trial at the Old Bailey having denied charges of outraging public decency. He noted the matter could have been dealt with in a magistrates court or by them accepting a caution. | Judge Charles Wide QC said Lisanne Beck, 47, and her boyfriend Simon Murphy, 48, had no one but themselves to blame for ending up at a jury trial at the Old Bailey having denied charges of outraging public decency. He noted the matter could have been dealt with in a magistrates court or by them accepting a caution. |
| The couple’s actions were filmed on a mobile phone at the family event on 14 September last year. | The couple’s actions were filmed on a mobile phone at the family event on 14 September last year. |
| The jury in the retrial took just under three hours to unanimously find Beck and Murphy guilty of outraging public decency by engaging in sexual activity, including oral sex. A previous jury failed to reach a verdict. | The jury in the retrial took just under three hours to unanimously find Beck and Murphy guilty of outraging public decency by engaging in sexual activity, including oral sex. A previous jury failed to reach a verdict. |
| Beck, a hospitality waitress, and Murphy, a gardener, both of Swansea, stood quietly in the dock as the judge said there was “no doubt about what you were doing, you must have known what you were doing and you persisted in the act”. | Beck, a hospitality waitress, and Murphy, a gardener, both of Swansea, stood quietly in the dock as the judge said there was “no doubt about what you were doing, you must have known what you were doing and you persisted in the act”. |
| It happened among a large number of people and children could have seen it, the judge noted. He told the couple they “both need to be taught a lesson by being fined” for this “particularly revolting behaviour in public”. | It happened among a large number of people and children could have seen it, the judge noted. He told the couple they “both need to be taught a lesson by being fined” for this “particularly revolting behaviour in public”. |
| He fined them £1,000 each, which must be paid by 13 November or they will face 21 days in prison. They must also each pay £1,750 in prosecution costs. | He fined them £1,000 each, which must be paid by 13 November or they will face 21 days in prison. They must also each pay £1,750 in prosecution costs. |
| The judge told the couple: “The fact that you are in the crown court is something that you have entirely brought on yourself by electing trial and by not admitting what you were both doing – that does not aggravate the offence, and I make that clear, but it puts the public to considerable expense.” | The judge told the couple: “The fact that you are in the crown court is something that you have entirely brought on yourself by electing trial and by not admitting what you were both doing – that does not aggravate the offence, and I make that clear, but it puts the public to considerable expense.” |
| As he brought the case to a close, the judge told them: “I hope that no court ever sees either of you again.” He described the case as “highly unusual”. | As he brought the case to a close, the judge told them: “I hope that no court ever sees either of you again.” He described the case as “highly unusual”. |
| Other people at the open-air concert complained after seeing Beck and Murphy together during a set by Paloma Faith. Shocked onlookers described the incident as repulsive, upsetting and offensive. Beck had claimed she was just trying to help Murphy to the toilet. | Other people at the open-air concert complained after seeing Beck and Murphy together during a set by Paloma Faith. Shocked onlookers described the incident as repulsive, upsetting and offensive. Beck had claimed she was just trying to help Murphy to the toilet. |
| One witness filmed the incident on a mobile phone. When viewing the footage, the jury could hear moans of disgust from onlookers as the couple carried on regardless of those around them. An off-duty policeman and children were among the concertgoers who spotted the incident, the court heard. | One witness filmed the incident on a mobile phone. When viewing the footage, the jury could hear moans of disgust from onlookers as the couple carried on regardless of those around them. An off-duty policeman and children were among the concertgoers who spotted the incident, the court heard. |
| DI Phillip Gray, of the Norfolk police force, whose wife alerted security, said he saw a girl who was probably 15 or 16 years old moving away clearly upset by what was going on. | DI Phillip Gray, of the Norfolk police force, whose wife alerted security, said he saw a girl who was probably 15 or 16 years old moving away clearly upset by what was going on. |
| There was also an Asian couple nearby and the male moved the woman away, he recalled. | There was also an Asian couple nearby and the male moved the woman away, he recalled. |
| Beck claimed that, on a scale of one to 10 of drunkenness, she was probably about a five, saying she was “tipsy and merry”, while Murphy seemed normal and “just happy”. | Beck claimed that, on a scale of one to 10 of drunkenness, she was probably about a five, saying she was “tipsy and merry”, while Murphy seemed normal and “just happy”. |
| Beck told the jury: “I shook him because I wanted to wake him up and to try and assist him to the toilet. He had not been to the toilet and I knew that he gets discomfort in his stomach because of a medical condition – IBS [irritable bowel syndrome].” | Beck told the jury: “I shook him because I wanted to wake him up and to try and assist him to the toilet. He had not been to the toilet and I knew that he gets discomfort in his stomach because of a medical condition – IBS [irritable bowel syndrome].” |
| Security officers then arrived and threw the couple out of the festival. | Security officers then arrived and threw the couple out of the festival. |
| The couple had each drunk about three or four cans of cider before arriving at the venue. Beck said she had also drunk from a pre-mixed bottle of vodka and cola. | The couple had each drunk about three or four cans of cider before arriving at the venue. Beck said she had also drunk from a pre-mixed bottle of vodka and cola. |
| Murphy did not give evidence at the trial but told officers in a police interview that he was completely unaware of anything improper happening. | Murphy did not give evidence at the trial but told officers in a police interview that he was completely unaware of anything improper happening. |