Court told of Facebook apology to woman allegedly sexually assaulted

THE trial is to resume tomorrow of a man accused of sexually assaulting a sleeping woman after getting into bed beside her in an apartment at a west of Ireland hotel.

Evidence has been given to the Circuit Criminal Court, sitting in Castlebar, by the female that she was awakened from a deep sleep by the man who was molesting her.

She then said that as the beside locker light was turned on by her husband who had come into the room her attacker (whom she named in court) got out of bed with his trousers down.

The accused is known to the woman and travelled with her and her husband as part of an eight strong group to a charity event in a west of Ireland town in July 2015.

The group stayed overnight in an apartment attached to a nearby hotel following the function and they enjoyed drinks and card games as the evening wore on.

In the words of the complainant there was 'a really good atmosphere' in the apartment before she put on her pajamas and retired to the double bed she was later to share with her husband.

The woman says that following the assault she was distressed and was comforted and cuddled by her husband.

Judge MacCabe and a jury has been told that on the following day she and her husband got a Facebook message from the accused in which he apologised to both of them for the incident.

In his message, the accused said he didn't remember much about what happened and added: “Unfortunately, loads of beer and Captain Morgan do not fit well with me.”

The message continued: “I can only guess that in my drunken stupor I went to the wrong bed.”

However, the apology was rejected by the couple.

The husband wrote back telling the accused he had attempted non-consensual sex with his wife reminding him he was a married man with a family whose duty it was to uphold the law.

The trial is to resume at 10.30 a.m. tomorrow (Friday).