A Maltese mother took to social media to air her grievances with lifeguards on duty at St George’s Bay, when, she claims, they failed to intervene when one particularly amorous couple allegedly began to have sex on the bay.

The woman claimed that the rambunctious pair were nude in the water and getting physical in full view of the Sunday morning beach crowd.

“Lifeguard on duty was really arrogant, you should be ashamed of yourselves,” the woman wrote.

“There is no place in this country where people do their proper job,” she continued. “If it wasn’t for lifeguard duty, the beach supervisors are there just to give out ashtrays and to stop topless people.”

Both the woman and the lifeguards on duty called police to the scene, however upon their arrival the perpetrators were nowhere to be found. 

Attempts to contact the woman proved futile.

A spokeswoman for the police said that, as of yet, no police report had been filed in relation to the incident.

Blaming lifeguards was not fair, the Malta Red Cross director of operations told Times of Malta.

“There are different levels of responsibility in maintaining beaches, but at no point are lifeguards responsible for enforcing the law,” Robert Brincau said. 

Lifeguards are not a public authority and are largely responsible for providing first aid and rescue on public beaches.

Mr Brincau said that while the incident in question was reported to the police by the lifeguards on duty, it does not fall within their remit to intervene directly once there was no immediate danger. 

The woman posted on social media.

“It is our duty to report and to report discreetly,” he said.

Offences against decency or morals committed in public are criminal acts and could be punishable with up to three months jail time as well as a fine.

However, if lewd acts are committed in the presence of children, offenders could be potentially opening themselves up the more serious charge of defilement of minors, although defilement of a specific minor would have to be proved.