Loughborough 'sexsomniac' jailed for raping woman Published duration 31 August 2018

image copyright Leicestershire Police image caption Karl Gammon admitted having sex with the woman, but claimed he could not remember it and was asleep when it happened

A man who claimed he had sex with a woman while he was asleep has been jailed for five years for rape.

Karl Gammon had met the victim and her friend at a bar in Loughborough in March 2016 before attacking her.

The 24-year-old, of Albert Street in Loughborough, told a trial he suffered from "sexsomnia", a form of non-insane automatism that meant he had sex with her without his knowledge or memory.

He was found guilty on 8 August after a trial at Leicester Crown Court.

Gammon, who was sentenced on Friday, has also been placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

Leicestershire Police said DNA evidence proved he had had sex with the woman.

Det Sgt Tom Brenton, who led Leicestershire Police's investigation into the case, said the victim was still "living with the trauma" of the attack more than two years later.

"Gammon's victim has shown tremendous courage throughout the judicial process," he said.

"Not only did Gammon prey on his victim when she was vulnerable, he claimed not to have knowledge of the rape when questioned by officers and as such she was forced to relive her ordeal in court."

Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk.