AGXStarseed
Well-Known Member
(Not written by me)
The group went back to a flat in Bampfylde Street in Exeter after a night out
An autistic man has been cleared of groping a woman who fell asleep at his flat after a night out.
Darryl Bessell, who suffers from Asperger's Syndrome, was found not guilty of sexually assaulting the woman after telling a jury he had only put his arms around her.
Bessell was cleared after a jury heard that his autism, coupled with anxiety, caused him to apologise for something he had not done and harm himself with a kitchen knife.
He told Exeter Crown Court he was so upset at being accused of the sexual assault that he went to the kitchen and cut his wrist and leg with a knife.
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Bessell, aged 27, of Bampfylde Street, Exeter, denied two offences of sexual assault and was found not guilty of both counts within 30 minutes by the jury.
During a three day trial the woman told how she fell asleep on Bessell's sofa after going back to his flat from Club Rococo.
She said she woke up in pain to find his hands down the front and back of her trousers and ran screaming to another room where two friends were sleeping.
They both said Bessell admitted touching the woman and apologised for his behaviour as he was cutting himself.
He suffers from Asperger's Syndrome and Anxiety Disorder and gave evidence with the help of a trained intermediary, who vetted questions to ensure they were simple enough for him to understand.
Bessell told the court he went to sleep on the same sofa as the woman with his arms around her.
He said:"My hands were on her arms and round her like a hug. She was still wearing the same clothes and I went to sleep with the duvet on me.
"I was asleep for maybe ten minutes when I was woken by her pushing me away and shouting at me. I can't remember what she was shouting but she was hysterical and swearing at me to get off her.
"I did not know why she was doing that. I had not moved my arms deliberately and my hands did not go down her trousers. I did not touch her private parts.
"She went to the bedroom where the others were sleeping. I went to the kitchen. One of them asked me what I had done and I said 'I don't know'. I did not know what I was supposed to have done.
"I knew she was upset. I was emotional and felt like I had done something wrong, although I did not know what. I was crying and I went to the kitchen to grab a knife to hurt myself.
"I have done it before. I wanted to hurt myself because I thought I had done something wrong. It was an escape. I cut my wrist and leg. I had no intention of hurting anyone else.
"When I was told what I was supposed to have done I did not know what she meant. My only physical contact was to have my arms around her."
SOURCE: http://www.middevongazette.co.uk/Ju...roping-woman/story-28027677-detail/story.html
The group went back to a flat in Bampfylde Street in Exeter after a night out
An autistic man has been cleared of groping a woman who fell asleep at his flat after a night out.
Darryl Bessell, who suffers from Asperger's Syndrome, was found not guilty of sexually assaulting the woman after telling a jury he had only put his arms around her.
Bessell was cleared after a jury heard that his autism, coupled with anxiety, caused him to apologise for something he had not done and harm himself with a kitchen knife.
He told Exeter Crown Court he was so upset at being accused of the sexual assault that he went to the kitchen and cut his wrist and leg with a knife.
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Bessell, aged 27, of Bampfylde Street, Exeter, denied two offences of sexual assault and was found not guilty of both counts within 30 minutes by the jury.
During a three day trial the woman told how she fell asleep on Bessell's sofa after going back to his flat from Club Rococo.
She said she woke up in pain to find his hands down the front and back of her trousers and ran screaming to another room where two friends were sleeping.
They both said Bessell admitted touching the woman and apologised for his behaviour as he was cutting himself.
He suffers from Asperger's Syndrome and Anxiety Disorder and gave evidence with the help of a trained intermediary, who vetted questions to ensure they were simple enough for him to understand.
Bessell told the court he went to sleep on the same sofa as the woman with his arms around her.
He said:"My hands were on her arms and round her like a hug. She was still wearing the same clothes and I went to sleep with the duvet on me.
"I was asleep for maybe ten minutes when I was woken by her pushing me away and shouting at me. I can't remember what she was shouting but she was hysterical and swearing at me to get off her.
"I did not know why she was doing that. I had not moved my arms deliberately and my hands did not go down her trousers. I did not touch her private parts.
"She went to the bedroom where the others were sleeping. I went to the kitchen. One of them asked me what I had done and I said 'I don't know'. I did not know what I was supposed to have done.
"I knew she was upset. I was emotional and felt like I had done something wrong, although I did not know what. I was crying and I went to the kitchen to grab a knife to hurt myself.
"I have done it before. I wanted to hurt myself because I thought I had done something wrong. It was an escape. I cut my wrist and leg. I had no intention of hurting anyone else.
"When I was told what I was supposed to have done I did not know what she meant. My only physical contact was to have my arms around her."
SOURCE: http://www.middevongazette.co.uk/Ju...roping-woman/story-28027677-detail/story.html
