CCTV has captured a woman brazenly performing a lewd sex act on her accused thief boyfriend in a courtroom in front of others while the judge retired to consider her verdict.

Other people, possibly including the theft victim, watched the woman shamelessly lunge over a court bench and place her head in her boyfriend’s lap.

The pair have been identified as Lidia Ziborova and Andrey Andreev, who was facing theft charges in Sovetsky District Court in Rostov-on-Don, in southwest Russia.

The actions took place after Judge Elena Armist, who was presiding over Mr Andreev’s case, had retired to consider her verdict.

Mr Andreev, who is in his 30s, has a previous conviction for the theft of sheets of steel.

After Judge Armist left the courtroom, Ms Ziborova approached the dock where her boyfriend was seated.

After spending a short time entertaining Mr Andreev while he stroked her head, Ms Ziborova pulled her head away from him as a court sheriff in uniform returned to the chamber.

The verdict and any sentence for the theft charges is unknown, but Mr Andreev was slapped with a charge of contempt of court.

He faces a fine of up to $18,000 or a four-month jail term.