A MAN took advantage of a woman’s “vulnerable” position following a drunken night out, a court was told.

The naked victim, said to have been in a “drunken stupor”, came around to discover Carl Luke Griffiths sexually interfering with her, early on July 22, last year.

Durham Crown Court heard she later messaged friends “angry and upset” at waking to discover Griffiths violating her, while she slept.

Before she reported it, however, Griffiths handed himself to police on July 24, confessing he had “abused” a woman when she was very drunk two days earlier.

Officers immediately took a statement from the woman, confirming she had been sexually assaulted while highly inebriated after being at a Newton Aycliffe nightspot.

She told police she could not remember much, but briefly came round to discover he had his hand, “down there”.

When formally interviewed Griffiths said he removed the woman’s clothing as she seemed hot, before sexually interfering with her while she was still asleep.

He claimed they did then have consensual sex, but, prosecutor, Paul Reid, said when asked, the complainant could not recall any such act.

Mr Reid said the Crown considered pursuing a rape charge, before proceeding with a count of assault by penetration.

Griffiths, 23, of Melanby Crescent, Newton Aycliffe, admitted the charge at a previous hearing.

Paul Rooney, mitigating, said the defendant, of previous clean record, handed himself in, “in disgust at how he behaved”, adding that while in custody, awaiting sentence, he has undergone a sex offenders’ programme to try to address his behaviour.

Imposing a 32-month prison sentence, Judge Christopher Prince told Griffiths: “She was particularly vulnerable due to her personal circumstances, being asleep and drunk, and you knew full well her condition.”

He put in place a ten-year restraining order, forbidding contact with the victim, by Griffiths, who was made subject of “indefinite” registration as a sex offender.