Rebecca Williams, 44, and boyfriend, Michael Burns, 50, outraged families when they were ‘off their head on drink’ at a historic tourist attraction
07:15, 26 Feb 2026Updated 12:10, 26 Feb 2026
Rebecca Williams, 44, and Michael Burns, 50, outside court(Image: Cavendish Press (Manchester) LTD)
A randy couple who faced jail for having sex in front of groups of families at a historic tourist attraction thanked a judge as he spared them a prison sentence. Rebecca Williams, 44, and her 50-year-old boyfriend, Michael Burns, caused outrage when they began having sex by a tree as parents and grandparents enjoyed a Bank Holiday outing with their children.
During the incident, angry onlookers shouted: ”You are disgusting – pull your pants up. There are children here!” Before gathering up the youngsters and walking away. But despite the rebuke, the shameless couple laughed before walking back to a bench where they had been seen kissing ”passionately” just moments earlier.
When police attended the Grade II listed Grosvenor Park in Chester, mum of one Williams said: ”Mike, this is your fault” before blustering to officers: ”You’re just mean, I did not want to do stuff like that. I am not that type of person.”
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When arrested Burns confessed: “Oh, for f***for sake. Fair enough. Do not bother with an interview. I am guilty.” Enquiries revealed both had been drinking heavily in the run up to the incident.
At Chester magistrates’ court, Williams, of Gabriel Close, Wrexham, and Burns, of Chester Road, Wrexham, faced six months in jail after being convicted of outraging public decency.
But the couple from North Wales said “Thank you” to District Judge Jack McGarva as they were sentenced to 26 weeks’ custody, suspended for 12 months, and were each ordered to pay £300 costs and a £154 surcharge. Burns was also ordered to complete 20 days of rehabilitation activity.
In sentencing, the judge said: ”You have been found guilty of quite appalling behaviour in Grosvenor Park when there were lots of families and people around.
”I am quite certain this behaviour has come about due to you being off your head on drink. People should not have to put up with witnessing this kind of behaviour.”
The incident happened on April 19 last year when the pair were visiting the 20-acre park, named after the 2nd Marquis of Westminster, Richard Grosvenor, who gave the former fields to the people of Chester in the 19th Century and paid for their renovation. The park is traditionally renowned for its ornamental gardens, medieval arches and timber-framed park-keeper’s lodge.
Eye witness Sophie Williams, 38, a mother of one who was visiting with her family, told an earlier hearing: ”I saw them sitting on a bench when we walked into the park. They were passionately kissing, and there were quite a lot of other people looking at them – I noticed she had quite a bright cardigan whilst he had a rainbow jacket.
”He went to a nearby tree, I assumed to have a wee – but she then followed. We then started playing football before my sister said: ‘They are having sex now.’ I turned around to see him with his pants down to his ankles with all his bits hanging out. I was in disbelief. It was busy, it was a bank holiday and there were a lot of children around.
”Other parents began scooping up their children and walking away when they saw what was happening. Everyone scattered.”
Rebecca Williams and Michael Burns had sex in broad daylight in front of groups of families during a day out at Grosvenor Park in Chester(Image: Cavendish Press (Manchester) LTD)
Mother of two Kathleen Evans, 32, who had been on a day out with her family to celebrate her mother’s 70th birthday, said: “My husband said, ‘That man has got his trousers down.’ And I looked over, and his trousers and underwear were all around his ankles – and I could see his bottom. I heard a lady shout at them and point – everyone’s attention was drawn to it.
“I also saw a female crouched down in front of the gentleman. Her face, head, was at waist height. Then when he turned around, I saw all of him from the front, and then she quickly jumped up.
”I could see her head was very close to his private parts. I was quite far away – but I could infer from her head movement as to what had just happened. Her head was touching, as close as it could be to his genital area. There was not much room in between her and him.
“Afterwards they were laughing, probably a bit embarrassed. They walked back to the bench and he was really slowly pulling up his bottoms facing everybody. I was quite upset. I had two little kids and we were all staring.”
In a police patrol car, Williams, herself a mother of one, initially refused to give her name but then broke down, and on body-worn footage was heard pleading: ”It’s all to do with him, nothing to do with me. Please let me go. Please. It’s so unfair. I’ve done nothing wrong. What have I done wrong? ”
Prosecutor Umer Zeb said: ”Officers received a report of a male in Grosvenor Park with his pants down and his penis out. He had been kissing on a bench with a female. The reporting person states that multiple families were in the park.”
Earlier in her evidence, Williams, who denied wrongdoing, said: “Mike went into the bushes because he was bursting for a wee, and I went to see if he was okay because he had an injury. I only helped him pull his pants up because of his hand and eye coordination.
”I may have pecked him on the cheek earlier – but I am allowed to do that. He is my boyfriend. ”
Burns denied having sex and said: “I had to have a wee and she came into the bushes to help as I could not fasten my trousers.”