Couple found guilty over sex act at Hyde Park concert Published duration 12 August 2015

image copyright PA image caption Simon Murphy and Lisanne Beck have been found guilty

A couple who had oral sex during a Paloma Faith concert in Hyde Park have been fined for outraging public decency.

Lisanne Beck, 47, performed the sex act on Simon Murphy, 48, during a BBC Radio 2 concert in September last year.

The jury at the Old Bailey found them guilty after a two-day trial.

The couple must each pay £1,000 by November or be jailed. They must also pay £1,750 each to cover court costs.

The jury heard they were attending the concert when their behaviour began to cause concern to other people in the audience.

image caption Paloma Faith performed an afternoon set at Radio 2 Live in Hyde Park in September 2014

One man who was near the couple at the time, Mike Holden, filmed them on his phone.

He told the court that he had been "shocked" at what he saw, and it had caused a "significant amount of embarrassment and trying to divert attention".

He said people ranging from eight-year-olds to adults were among the crowd.

Off-duty policeman Det Insp Phillip Gray also happened to be at the scene and told the jury he had seen one girl who was "clearly upset by what was going on".

He suggested the man involved "appeared to be asleep".

'Revolting behaviour'

Beck, a hospitality waitress from Swansea, denied the charge of behaving indecently by engaging in sexual activity including oral sex.

She told the court she had been "tipsy" at the time but said she had been trying to assist Murphy to the toilet.

Security officers were called in and threw the couple out of the festival.

During sentencing Judge Charles Wide QC told the couple they "both need to be taught a lesson by being fined" for this "particularly revolting behaviour".

He said: "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."

Murphy, a gardener from Swansea who also pleaded not guilty did not give evidence at the trial but said during a police interview he was completely unaware of anything improper happening.

Related Topics Hyde Park