A MAN who sexually assaulted a woman in her own home when he was drunk has been jailed for 15 months.
Shaun Tinkler, of Dudden Close, Peterlee, was found guilty of two sexual assaults after a trial at Durham Crown Court.
The court heard the 24-year-old had drank eight or 10 pints of beer before the attack took place.
He denied any wrongdoing, but was convicted of two charges of sexual assault by touching.
In three days of evidence, the jury heard Tinkler prised the woman’s mouth open before forcing a kiss on her and groped her.
The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, struggled free, but Tinkler followed her to the kitchen, where he touched her again and carried out a sex act.
Following the trial, Tinkler was cleared of one count of indecent exposure.
The victim admitted telling police in one of her interviews he had not done anything, but said that was because she knew what he did was wrong, but she did not know it was a criminal offence.
Tinkler was convicted of two charges of sexual assault following two days of deliberations by the jury.
Judge Penny Moreland sentenced Tinkler to six months for one of the charges of sexual assault and 15 months for the second charge of sexual assault, to run concurrently.
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