Steven Lhirondelle 35

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An intruder who crept into the bed of a sleeping woman and started kissing her back has been jailed for 22 months.

Steven Lhirondelle, 30, sexually assaulted the woman as she lay frozen by panic in the bed.

Fearing she would be raped she summoned the courage and leap out of bed before running into the street and shouting for help.

Lhirondelle was later arrested by police and said 'I'm sorry. I don't know why I did it'.

The defendant was described as a lonely but otherwise hard-working man when he appeared at Exeter Crown Court.

He admitted knowingly trespassing on premises with the intention of committing a sexual offence and sexually touching a woman without her consent.

The victim, a woman aged in her 60s, said she still could barely believe the offence had happened and was frightened of returning to her home and bed.

The offence happened in Torquay in May.

Prosecutor Ms Bathsheba Cassel said the victim, who lived alone, had gone to bed only to be woken in the early hours by an intruder. Lights were switched on and off and a voice said 'I will steal' a number of times.

"Shortly afterwards she felt someone in the bed," said the prosecutor.

She did not know who it was or recognise the man during the assault.

She felt the man stroking her back and then kissing it 10 to 12 times. Lhirondelle remained silent during the assault.

"The victim describes being still and feeling confused about what was happening and frightened about what was about to occur," said Ms Cassel.

"She feared she was going to be raped and felt she had to get away."

Summoning the courage she jumped out of bed and ran downstairs as quickly as she could.

"She felt panic, despair and shock," said Ms Cassel.

"She screamed for help as loudly as she could."

Police were called and arrived at the scene soon after.

Lhirondelle remained calmly at the scene for some time before running off. Police arrested him later that morning.

He told them: "Yes, I've had a bit too much to drink and tried to get into the house." He apologised and said he was just looking for somewhere to sleep.

He couldn't remember kissing the woman but agreed she wouldn't make it up.

Mr Martin Salloway, defending, said the defendant could not really explain his actions. He was sorry for what he had done and had been moved to tears by the victim's account of what had happened.

"He is a sad and lonely soul," said Mr Salloway. He said Lhirondelle had admitted is crime at an early stage and spared the victim a trial.

The victim said in a statement: "I cannot sleep in my bed, I cannot bear the thought. I will have to clean and disinfect the house. I am shaken and overwhelmed. Part of me doesn't believe it's happened but I am choosing to think like that because I'm still in a trace."

Judge David Evans said the defendant's crime was too serious to suspend the sentence.

"She feared she would be raped. I accept that was not your intention but that was the terrifying prospect she feared. You must have realised that possibility and had you been sober you would have realised anybody waking up to that situation would be likely to fear that as the ultimate outcome."

He said the defendant, of Babbacombe Road, had given no explanation for his scary behaviour but accepted it was out of character.