A COUPLE caught romping in a council-run car park ended up in court after they refused to stop.

The amorous pair were first spotted by a Colchester Council zone warden on a patrol of St Mary’s car park at about 11.50am on Saturday.

But despite the warden politely asking them to stop, they refused.

The duo, Kestutis Overlingas, 49, and Lisa Peck, 45, were still in the Balkerne Hill car park stairwell ten minutes later, when the warden returned.

When they were again asked to stop, Peck became aggressive towards the warden and the police were called.

The pair were then arrested and subsequently charged.

The sordid incident came two days ahead of the implementation of a public spaces protection order in town centre car parks.

The order is meant to give council officers and police officers the power to move on the likes of boy racers and rough sleepers from car parks if they are congregating or causing a nuisance.

Mike Lilley (Lab), Colchester councillor responsible for community safety, said: “I can honestly say of all the issues we have encountered there, from boy racers, to vandalism, drug taking and drinking, never in my wildest dreams did I think we would be dealing with two people having sex in a stairwell on a Saturday morning.

“There is a time and a place if you want to do this sort of thing - but please find somewhere which is at least a bit more private.”

He added: “It can’t be tolerated, though.

“There could be children around, especially at that time of the day.

“It is a public car park for people to park their car in and walk into town.

“It’s not there for this type of thing.”

Overlingas, of Walsingham Road, Colchester, and Peck, of no fixed abode, appeared in court on Monday and each admitted committing an act outraging public decency.

The pair were each fined £120 and were each ordered to pay £115 in court costs.