Samuel Bunyan, now 21, sexually assaulted a fellow undergraduate as she slept, after her birthday party

A Durham University student sexually assaulted a fellow undergraduate as she slept, after spending the night drinking with her at her birthday party.

Samuel Bunyan, now 21, originally from Diseworth, in Derbyshire, has been jailed for more than two and a half years after admitting two counts of sexual assault.

The court heard that his victim said she was 'seven out of ten' drunk when she went to bed, following the birthday celebrations in June last year.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, awoke with pain in her groin area and found that her jumper had been pulled up and her bra undone.

She found Bunyan, who was 20 at the time, was in the bed with her and burst into tears, Durham Crown Court heard.

The physics student walked the woman home from a pub and claims he was invited into her bedroom to watch videos.

Prosecutor Paul Cleasby, said she was shocked to realise someone was next to her in bed but, still suffering the effects of alcohol, cried herself back to sleep.

When she woke, she messaged Bunyan on Facebook. He initially denied anything happened, but later admitted he remembered sleeping in her bed.

Mr Cleasby said when she pressed him further, he said he had 'briefly' sexually touched her, and was 'sorry'.

The court heard that his victim said she was 'seven out of ten' drunk when she went to bed, following the birthday celebrations in Durham in June last year (file photo)

Bunyan was arrested and admitted the offences to police, saying that he was 'eight out of ten' drunk.

Katharine Goddard, mitigating, said he was very remorseful and said the offence was a single blemish committed against a background of depression.

But Judge Christopher Prince said despite many glowing character testimonials, he had to impose an immediate sentence as Bunyan, 'specifically targeted a vulnerable victim', due to her drunkenness.

The judge also imposed a restraining order, forbidding any contact with the victim, and made him subject to notification as a sex offender 'indefinitely'.