A married couple has been arrested in Italy after engaging in sex on a beach in full view of holidaymakers and children on August 30.
The 53-year-old man and 51-year-old woman were taken into custody on the coast of Imperia after witnesses reported their behavior to local authorities, according to a report by the Daily Star.
Eyewitnesses on the shore spotted the pair after they climbed onto a rock rising above the beach area and began acting indecently in plain sight of families enjoying the water.
Lifeguard intervention at sea
Before police officers could reach the beach, an employee responsible for water safety swam out toward the suspects. The water safety worker approached the couple at the rock and forced them to halt their actions.
When confronted by the safety officer, the 53-year-old man and the 51-year-old woman ceased their behavior and insisted that they had only shared a couple of kisses. However, a police patrol car arrived shortly afterward on the shore.
Officers arrested both individuals at the beach and transported them directly to the local police station to investigate the incident and clarify the circumstances.
Facing prison time under Italian law
The presence of underage children on the beach significantly increases the severity of the legal charges against the couple. Under Italian law, acknowledging guilt or being convicted of public indecency in areas frequented by minors carries a mandatory prison sentence ranging from four months to six years.
Imperia is a coastal city situated in the Liguria region of northwestern Italy, along the Riviera di Ponente near the French border. Known for its waterfront and beaches along the Ligurian Sea, the destination attracts large numbers of summer vacationers each year. Italian penal regulations maintain strict enforcement against public indecency, particularly in coastal zones and family resort areas.
The arrest in Imperia follows another recent incident involving public indecent behavior by tourists abroad. In a separate case, a tourist was filmed by security cameras engaging in sex with a woman outside a residential building in Bali.
