Shameka Julie Leeding, Jake James Quinn face Toowoomba Magistrates Court for having sex in courthouse foyer

GRAPHIC DETAILS: A young couple were caught with their pants down not once but three times in the busy waiting area of Toowoomba’s courthouse foyer.

A young couple, overcome with the “exuberance of youth”, learnt the hard way that public sex in a courtroom foyer was unacceptable behaviour when they were sentenced for their “outrageous behaviour”.

Shameka Julie Leeding was due to appear in Toowoomba Magistrates Court on June 28, 2022 for an unrelated matter, with the 19-year-old supported by her partner Jake James Quinn, 20.

About 9.40am, the couple was captured on CCTV moving to seating in the eastern end of the courthouse public waiting area where Leeding straddled Quinn and the pair began to kiss “vigorously”, police prosecutor Cameron Francis said.

The pair then began to have sexual intercourse, with Leeding caught on camera lifting her skirt, sitting on her partner and moving up and down on Quinn’s lap.

The court was told the couple stopped what they were doing after they were approached by security, and Leeding got off Quinn who attempted to cover himself.

Shameka Julie Leeding, 19, faced Toowoomba Magistrates Court for having sex with her partner in the courtroom foyer.

“The security officer left the area, and Quinn then exposed his penis again and Leeding adjusted his penis under her skirt, she then sat on his lap, facing away and again started moving up and down on his lap, appearing to again engage in sexual intercourse,” Mr Francis said.

The pair continued until they were again interrupted by a volunteer court staff member but continued once the staff member left the area.

“For a third time the couple were approached, again by security, and Leeding quickly stood up and held her arms out in an attempt to block the view of the security guard while Quinn attempted to cover himself up,” Mr Francis said.

The couple left the waiting area, which was full ahead of a busy court day, with members of the public less than 5m away.

The court was told they were easily identified by CCTV cameras, and on June 30 the couple was issued with notices to appear by police.

On Friday the pair pleaded guilty to indecent act in any place to which the public are permitted access.

Jake James Quinn, 20, faced Toowoomba Magistrates Court on July 22, 2022, where he pleaded guilty to committing an indecent act in any place to which the public are permitted access.

Solicitor Nathan Bouchier said Quinn’s actions “weren’t planned” and that the unemployed labourer simply “wasn’t thinking” of how inappropriate their actions were.

Mr Bouchier said his client was looking for full-time employment, after previously completing a construction traineeship, and had two job interviews next week.

Leeding’s solicitor Ryan McCullough said the only explanation for the couple’s behaviour was they had been overcome with the “exuberance of youth”.

Mr McCullough said the couple’s “stupid and inappropriate mistake” was a hard learnt lesson in what was appropriate behaviour.

Magistrate Clare Kelly said she had never heard of such an incident happening at a courthouse, describing the offending as “outrageous behaviour”.

“In a disrespectful manner you’ve taken into the public arena a very private act,” Ms Kelly said to the pair.

The couple was sentenced to perform 60 hours’ community service each, with no convictions recorded.

Originally published as Shameka Julie Leeding, Jake James Quinn face Toowoomba Magistrates Court for having sex in courthouse foyer