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A pregnant woman engaged in a sex act with her husband in a busy shopping centre and carried on even when interrupted by their young children.

Akeela Ali, 25, was caught on camera with Fahad Bilal, 26, while their children, aged three and five, ran around playing nearby.

The couple from Newport, South Wales, said they 'thought about stopping' when their children interrupted, but carried on, explaining later: 'It just happened'.

CCTV footage captured the pair frolicking on a sofa in front of lifts in Westfield centre , Shepherd's Bush, west London.

They appeared before magistrates in Hammersmith today where they pleaded guilty to outraging public decency after the incident in July.

The court heard the family had travelled from Newport to the London shopping centre for a day out in the summer.

Prosecutor Arlene De Silva said: "On the 23 July this year Miss Ali was at the Westfield shopping centre along with her husband and also with their two children aged three and five.

"Just after 8pm they were sitting on a sofa in the lift lobby lounge area on the first floor facing three elevators.

"Mrs Ali sat beside her husband and lifted the jacket on his groin."

The clinch went on for around 10 minutes and they were interrupted 'several times' by the children.

(Image: Google)

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"When she was interviewed on 22 October she said she had gone shopping with her children," the prosecutor added.

"She said she was pregnant and as a result her hormones were everywhere and she felt horny.

"She said they started kissing as their kids were running around playing.

"She lay down on her husband and she said 'it just happened'.

"When their children interrupted she felt what they were doing was wrong but they carried on.

"She was aware that one of the children was sitting beside Mr Bilal for a portion of the event.

"She said she regretted the incident and was ashamed."

The court was told that Mr Bilal was also interviewed and claimed that he had been kissing his pregnant wife.

Ms De Silva said: "They hadn't made a prior decision to do this, it just happened, he said it was a human mistake.

"It was not that busy at the time but he knew it was a public area.

"They thought about stopping when the children interrupted but continued."

The couple, who represented themselves, were sentenced separately as they took turns to look after their children outside the courtroom.

(Image: Getty)

District Judge Elizabeth Roscoe asked Ali what she wanted to say about the incident as she stood in the dock.

Ali replied: "I'm just quite ashamed of what I did, I'm not happy with what happened.

"At the time I didn't realise what I was doing, I was pregnant.

"We were sitting together, we were tired and it just happened."

Mrs Roscoe said: "You understand the seriousness of this is because you are in public, your children are there, other people's children are there.

"Fortunately I have been told no one in particular has seen it, but you are the adult and you should know better."

Mrs Roscoe asked Bilal what he had to say about the incident.

He said: "It was a big mistake and it was shameful."

The judge said: "Mr Bilal, this was a public place with children around, your children, and you are the adult, you should know better.

"Fortunately it doesn't sound as though anyone has seen it.

"Mr Bilal I'm going to exclude you from coming within the M25 for eight weeks, except for the 11 and 12 of November, to attend your immigration hearing.

"If you breach that you will be arrested and brought back to court.

She added: "Miss Ali I'm going to deal with you in the same way as your husband, you will have an exclusion order on the area within the M25 for eight weeks."

The unemployed couple must each pay a £60 victim surcharge, and a £180 court charge at a rate of £10 a fortnight.