He wanted to go to medical school.

She dropped out of first-year university, traumatized from his sexual assault.

In what’s becoming all-too familiar in the justice system, another Western University student who peeled the clothes off a sleeping woman at a house party exchanged his future for a jail cell Thursday.

Ameer Yusuf, 21, wearing a purple Western windbreaker over his crisp suit, dropped his head, when he was sentenced to 90 days to be served on weekends for sexually assaulting a friend.

With the sentence came a stern message from Justice Kathleen McGowan that “young people, especially young women, need to understand their rights and their bodies will be protected and, hopefully in the future, be treated with respect.”

To young men like Yusuf, she said, it’s “not only inappropriate to take advantage of these situations, it’s criminal.”

The case goes to the heart of the growing debate over date-rape culture.

High-profile cases, such as those involving allegations against American comedian Bill Cosby and former CBC radio host Jian Ghomeshi, have thrust the issue under the spotlight along with young women who say they’ve been sexually violated by men they know.

The latest case has haunting similarities to another last month. Kwok Ngai, 25, a Western graduate who now lives in Hong Kong, was found guilty of taking the clothing off a woman in her bedroom while she was passed out after a drinking game at a small house party.

He’s to be sentenced in July.

Besides jail time, Yusuf was put on two years’ probation and his name will stay on the national sex-offender registry for 10 years.

Jane McGregor of the Sexual Assault Centre London applauded McGowan for sending a message to young men.

“They need to understand what the law in Canada says, that no one has a right to touch you in a sexual manner if you don’t agree,” she said. “Without your consent or permission, it is sexual assault.”

Yusuf had made a last-ditch plea for leniency before sentencing, telling the judge he planned to take the test to enter medical school this year.

“I’m willing to do any community service you see fit or counselling you see fit,” he said.

Like the Ngai case, Yusuf pleaded not guilty and had a trial where the young woman, whose identity is protected by court order, had to testify.

He denied any misconduct and hasn’t taken responsibility for what happened.

Yusuf and the woman, 18 at the time, knew each other.

In September 2013, she came to London from another university to visit a sister.

Yusuf invited her to a party at his house. He acted as a bouncer at the party and didn’t drink. The woman consumed alcohol and was somewhat intoxicated.

As the party died down, the woman to Yusuf’s room, where she fell asleep in his bed.

When she woke up, her shirt and bra had been pushed up to expose her breasts. Her pants and underwear had been removed.

She saw Yusuf standing over her with his cellphone poised as if he was about to take a photo of her. The woman called her sister and was taken to St. Joseph’s hospital for a sexual assault examination where Yusuf’s DNA was found in her breast area.

Yusuf, who had no criminal record, asked for a conditional discharge, which would allow him to pursue his dream of becoming a doctor and not crush his future.

But assistant Crown attorney Michael Thompson, who asked for six months in jail, said the conduct was so serious, Yusuf’s ambitions shouldn’t matter.

“Do we really want a sex offender being a doctor?” he asked.

If the conviction stalls his goals, “I say good,” Thompson added.

McGowan reviewed the woman’s victim impact statement, which told of her trying to stay in school after the attack and ultimately dropping out of first year.

She was humiliated. Her relationships with family and friends deteriorated. She lost her ability to trust anyone.

“I used to think the best in people, but Mr. Yusuf stole that from me,” she wrote.

McGowan said Western, like other universities, has a student code of conduct that was violated by Yusuf. A discharge wasn’t appropriate.

“This is a serious crime,” she said, adding, “there is, in this case, clearly a lack of remorse.”

The judge gave Yusuf the chance to apologize before her decision.

Instead, he focused on his desire to continue his education.

The jail sentence, McGowan said, is “a clear signal to the community that this behaviour will not be tolerated and the consequences will be stern.”

jane.sims@sunmedia.ca

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