A man who was caught on camera performing sex acts with a woman in Concert Square boasted about being a wanted man after he skipped a court hearing.
Joe Firby, 23, from Gateshead, engaged in sex acts with Kelly Cousins after meeting the 35-year-old in the gym and going on a date with her in Liverpool city centre on August 1, 2022. Videos of the pair, who had both drank heavily, were published on social media sparking a police investigation.
Firby was identified in the footage by his girlfriend at the time, while Cousins was identified by her social worker. Firby, who has no previous convictions, appeared for sentencing at Sefton Magistrates Court yesterday (January 11) after pleading guilty to outraging public decency in December.
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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.
But ahead of his court appearance Firby took to Facebook to boast about being a "wanted man" after he skipped an initial court hearing. He was due to appear at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court on September 20, 2022, but emailed the courts to say he had lost his job and did not have the money to hire a solicitor or travel from the North East to Liverpool.
He then requested he be allowed to appear over video link. Andrew Page, prosecuting, requested a warrant be issued for Firby’s arrest, saying he had ample time to organise his legal representation and travel to Liverpool since he was charged six weeks ago.
District Judge Healey said: “He was charged back in August. His first contact with the court was this morning saying he did not have the funds to attend but I do take the point that he has had ample time and take the view that his explanation is not sufficient. Therefore I am convinced to issue a warrant not backed for bail.”
On November 7, 2022, Firby updated his profile picture on Facebook to a picture of him and another man on a boat with the boastful caption: "Not doing bad for a wanted man."
The ECHO contacted Firby for a comment on the caption and he said: "For having two police forces looking for the length of time I was away, I didn’t do too bad for a wanted man like my post said."
Firby finally appeared in court for the first time on December 7, 2022. Cousins, a mum-of-four, 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".
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