A 32-year-old woman who admitted having sexual intercourse inside a Belfast city centre chapel will be sentenced for the offence next month.
Kirsty Leigh McMaster, whose address was given as ‘no fixed abode’, appeared at Belfast Crown Court today where she pleaded guilty to committing an act outraging public decency.
Currently in custody, McMaster was charged with committing “an act of a lewd obscene and disgusting nature and outraging public decency by engaging in sexual intercourse inside St Mary Chapel” on May 18 last year.
When asked by a court clerk how she pleaded, McMaster replied “guilty.”
Following the arraignment, Judge Philip Gilpin was addressed by McMaster’s solicitor who said his client “has been in custody for some time.”
“There were obviously issues that led to Ms McMaster’s offending,” he said
“She was homeless, essentially, at the time and there are addiction issues.”
Judge Gilpin ordered that a pre-sentence report be prepared ahead of the sentencing hearing which has been listed for March 27.
Co-accused Sean Paul Russell (37), from Market Street in Downpatrick, did not attend today’s hearing.
His arraignment has been scheduled for March 3.
Although no details of the incident were referred to in court, a previous hearing was told that police were called to St Mary’s Church on Chapel Lane following reports that a man and woman were having sex inside the church.
A PSNI constable previously said that police attended the scene after being contacted by shocked onlookers.
The witness also told the court that, when arrested, the man and woman launched a foul-mouthed tirade when challenged about their behaviour.
Following her arrest, McMaster said she had been extremely drunk and thought any sexual activity had occurred outside the church.
McMaster has been remanded back into custody ahead of next month’s sentencing.