UPDATE: |Woman woke up to find man sexually attacking her News

Sam Fenham was found guilty by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court

A 23-year-old music student has been jailed for sexually assaulting a sleeping woman.

The victim woke to find drunken Sam Clarke was molesting her in a house after a party, Chronicle Live reported.

A judge at Newcastle Crown Court said he “pretended to be confused” when the victim woke up and reacted to what he was doing.

He then claimed she had been awake and had consented to what he did, but he later apologised.

As Clarke, 23, of Grange Road, Fenham, Newcastle, was jailed, his victim outlined the suffering he has caused to her.

She said: “What happened has has affected me every day since. It has ruined the fun, outgoing person I used to be.

“I still struggle with leaving the house. Everywhere I go I’m scared he will be there. I have panic attacks when I see anyone who looks remotely like him.

“I wake up having panic attacks and I replay the nightmare. I’m scared to sleep because that has been ruined for me too. Every single thing about me has changed.

“He has ruined the person I was before and destroyed every aspect of my life since then.”

Clarke was found guilty of assault by penetration and was jailed for four-and-a-half years. He must sign the sex offenders register for life and was given a seven-year restraining order.

Glenn Gatland, defending, provided the court with several references speaking highly of Clarke.

He said he was studying at university at the time and his studies were interrupted by the offence but has has managed to get a degree in music.

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