A man who was filmed performing sex acts with a woman in a bustling North West nightlife hotspot was identified by his own girlfriend. The partner of Joe Firby watched on as a video was shared across social media, showing the 23-year-old engaging in sexual activity with another woman.
Police issued an appeal to track down the culprits after the footage had been seen on Instagram and Facebook. The video showed Firby being lewd with 35-year-old Kelly Cousins at Liverpool's Concert Square.
The pair had met in the gym and gone on a date last August 1 in Liverpool city centre, where they both drank heavily, the Liverpool Echo reports. Firby, from Gateshead, was identified from the video footage by his then-girlfriend while Cousins was recognised by her social worker.
Firby, who has no previous convictions, appeared for sentencing at Sefton Magistrates Court today (January 11) after pleading guilty to outraging public decency in December. When asked by the court if he wanted to say anything in his defence, he replied: "I've got nothing to say."
He was sentenced to a 12-month community order and ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work. He must also pay £120 court costs and a £114 surcharge.
Cousins, a mum-of-four, of no fixed address, also pleaded guilty to the offence and was given a 10-week suspended prison sentence in November 2022. She was also ordered to complete 40 hours of unpaid work and 25 rehabilitation activity days with the Probation Service.
Her solicitor, Heather Toohey, told magistrates that Cousins had been subjected to incessant abuse since the videos went viral and suggested much of the commentary around the case was one-sided and driven by 'misogyny'. Ms Toohey added that her client had expressed 'deep regret', and had been drinking at the time of the incident.
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