A woman ended up in court after she was caught having a 30-minute afternoon sex session with a man on a grass verge near one of Manchester's busiest roads.

Laura Knowles, 33, was spotted naked with a man on top of her on grassland close to two tower blocks, a business complex and a supermarket.

A shocked resident called police when he spotted her near Greenheys Lane West close to the Princess Parkway in Hulme. He told police the couple had been having sex for about 30 minutes.

When officers arrived, they helped naked Knowles dress before arresting her and her lover, Manchester magistrates’ court heard.

Now she has been handed a curfew and a slap on the wrist in court after she admitted one charge of outraging public decency.

Prosecutor Matthew Siddall told the court the couple were spotted in the act on a ‘grass section’ just a few yards from Greenheys Lane West and close to Hulme’s massive Asda as well as two apartment blocks and a commercial building at 3.30pm on Wednesday, June 10.

“It happened at pretty much the time that children are leaving school,” said Mr Siddall.

A resident of one of the apartment blocks which overlooked the amorous couple saw a man with his top off on top of a naked woman, the court heard.

“He was so disgusted by this behaviour he contacted police officers and used his mobile phone to take two pictures,” said Mr Siddall.

Knowles’ co-accused, Kaspars Rimsa, 30, also charged with outraging public decency, of Denmark Road in Manchester, failed to appear in court and a warrant is expected to be issued for his arrest.

Pictures of the couple on the grass with a stunned pedestrian walking by just a few feet away were shown to the court.

“Police attended and the exercise was stopped, if I can put it like that,” said Mr Siddall, who continued:

“These sorts of offences are embarrassing. When you first hear about these sorts of things it’s almost funny, but not when children are passing through the area, that’s where a line is completely crossed.”

Knowles was ‘candid’ with the arriving officers who ‘helped with her clothing to assist her modesty’, according to the prosecutor.

Liz Ridgeway, defending, said: “There potentially could have been children on the top deck of a bus (who witnessed this) but there’s nothing to say that children actually saw it.”

The solicitor continued: “This is one of those offences where least said soonest mended. She is absolutely mortified by this offence and quite clearly it should never have happened.

"It was foolish. It’s very much a one-off and quite clearly it was a huge mistake. As soon as the police officers attend she’s extremely full and frank and accepted what she was doing and doesn’t try to give silly excuses and she isn’t coming to court to give some kind of stupid excuse.”

The court heard Knowles is on benefits and has previous convictions for drink-driving, assault and failing to surrender although her lawyer said his client was ‘not someone who was a danger to the public or a danger to children’.

Knowles, of Darwell Avenue in Eccles, was handed a curfew which means she must remain at home between 7pm and 7am for the next two months.

She was also ordered to pay a £60 victim surcharge, £85 towards prosecution costs and a £180 court charge.

The chairman of the bench, Mrs P Joseph, warned the defendant she would be in ‘serious trouble’ if she failed to abide by the curfew and added: “Don’t do it again.”