A MAN who “tried his luck” and sexually assaulted a friend as she lay sleeping in bed after a boozy night out has been spared jail.

Stephen Pullen, 23, of Grange Drive, Stratton St Margaret, molested the young woman after she spent the night at his home.

But, after hearing how Pullen was sorry for what he had done and faced losing his job if he were jailed, a judge imposed a suspended prison sentence.

Claire Marlow, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court that Pullen and the victim had been good friends for several years.

“Up until then she said the most they had done was kiss each other on the cheek,” she said.

On July 19, they had been out in town and she had drunk five or six vodka and Red Bulls before going back to stay the night at Pullen’s, as she often did.

The victim shared his bed as she trusted him as a friend, but in the morning woke with the feeling of her knickers being pulled up from her ankles.

“She didn't know what to think. She stayed still for about five minutes before pretending to wake up,” Miss Marlow said.

The victim left soon after and later asked Pullen what had happened. He replied he “had a feel” of her and also touched her breasts when he thought she was asleep, the court heard.

“He was trying to persuade her not to tell the police.

“He said he felt very bad about it and regretted it,” Miss Marlow said.

After he was arrested, Pullen told police that when he woke up he had been “turned on” so “tried his luck to see how far he could go”.

Miss Marlow said that in a statement, the girl told how the incident had affected her and caused her to drink heavily to block out the pain.

She said she had to leave a job in town after she saw him there and suffered a panic attack.

The victim said: “When I challenged Stephen about what he did he tried to tell me he had done so much for me and tried to persuade me not to go to the police.

“I don’t think he knows what impact he has had on me. I feel betrayed and let down.'

Pullen pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault.

Rob Ross, defending, said: “If it is any comfort to the young woman he is understanding of what he has done. He is disgusted.”

He said if Pullen were jailed he would lose a good job in which he is doing well.

The court heard that when he was 17, Pullen was put on a referral order for possessing indecent images of children.

Recorder Peter Towler said he believed Pullen would benefit from attending a sexual offenders’ group work programme He said Pullen would not be able to do this in custody unless he gave a long jail term, so imposed a two-year prison sentence suspended for two years.

He also said Pullen must register as a sex offender for ten years, plus pay £300 costs and a £100 surcharge