A woman who was caught having sex with her former partner on a bench in Truro city centre has been back before a court.

Samantha May Tipton, 42, appeared at Truro Magistrates' Court on Monday (March 26) having previously pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly in a public place.

Tipton, of Pydar Street, Truro, was arrested on March 5 after an incident at the City Inn.

She also admitted that she was in breach of two conditional discharges handed out by the court last year. One was for similar offences of being drunk in a public place while the other was for outraging public decency.

Alison May, prosecuting, said the second conditional discharge related to an incident in December of 2016.

She said it was about 2pm when members of the public reported Tipton and her partner Neil James Skeggs having sex while they were on a bench near the coach park behind Marks & Spencer, off Lemon Quay.

She said: "The male and female were sat on the bench and she was astride the male. He had his hand down her trousers while she was performing oral sex on him.

"They had moved to full sexual intercourse when the police arrived and they were told to straighten themselves out."

She said the pair were then arrested.

The coach park and bench to the rear of Marks and Spencer's in Truro

Last January, Tipton's partner Skeggs, then aged 46, was also given a conditional discharge for 18 months. The court at the time heard how Skeggs, who was homeless, told police that Tipton had made him have sex.

Ms May told that court how a woman was shocked to see the couple performing a sexual act near a bench. She could not believe what was happening and was even more shocked when she saw the woman on the seat having full intercourse with the man in full view of other people.

"She was disgusted by what she had seen, and called the police," said Ms May.

When officers arrived the couple were still engaging in sexual behaviour. They stopped and apologised when an officer shouted to them.

His solicitor Terry Eastwood said Skeggs never attempted to try to minimise what took place, which happened on the spur of the moment. He said Skeggs felt ashamed at being in court. Both were homeless, living on the streets and had been drinking at the time, he added.

"They thought they were in a private place and did not anticipate being seen," said Mr Eastwood. "They had no intention to offend anybody."

In relation to the most recent offence for Tipton, on March 5, Ms May said police were called to a disturbance at the City Inn in Truro between Tipton and her partner. She said Tipton was distressed and she verbally abused a police the officers who tried to stop her banging her head against a wall. She said to the officer: "Get away from me or I'll hit you in the balls."

Ms May said Tipton then tried to spit at the officers but was carefully led away to a police van while they held her in such as way as to avoid any contact.

The case heard from a representative of the Probation Service who had interviewed Tipon for a pre-sentence report. She told the court: “Ms Tipton currently lives at City Inn. The landlady appears to be supportive and allows her to remain there although there is the possibility of finding alternative accommodation.”

She said Tipton has a “chaotic and transient life as a result of substance misuse”.

The court was also told Tipton was receiving help from the drug and alcohol agency Addaction, mental health team and St Petroc’s Society homelessness charity.

The conditional discharges were activated and Tipton was fined a total of £120 for the offences. She was also ordered to pay £85 victim surcharge. This was consolidated with her outstanding fines and will be deducted from her benefits.

She was also given a 12-month community order which includes a requirement to work with the Probation Service on her alcohol problem.