Pontefract funeral mourner plied woman with drink at wake then sexually assaulted her

Jason Scott Middleton continues to deny any wrongdoing but was found guilty by a jury following a trial.

Leeds Crown Court heard that Middleton, who worked for a pizza firm, had been “acting strangely” during the gathering, encouraging the young woman to drink shots and making sexually-suggestive remarks to her.

She later fell asleep on a sofa and woke to find Middleton “spooning” her with his hand in her underwear.

The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, bravely read out an impact statement during Middleton’s sentencing hearing this week. She said: “When I realised what was going on I was horrified. I have never felt fear like it. I felt dirty, sick and disgusting. I felt like something had been taken from me that day. I could not get ion with my life initially, I was so depressed and cried every single day.

"This is something that has affected every relationship I have had since. I avoid all situations where I am alone with a man. I had to beg my GP to help me. They put on anti-depressants which I’m still on now.”

Mitigating, Robin Frieze said the assault was “uncharacteristic” for 40-year-old Middleton, of Millbeck View, Pontefract, who has never been in trouble before. He asked the judge to consider suspending the inevitable jail sentence.

But Recorder David Gordon said of the assault: “It was completely unwanted and shocking. This is a serious matter. You are 40 and have no previous convictions.

"You fought these allegations, which you have every right to, but you have never made any admissions or shown any remorse, regret or pity for the complainant. There was a significant degree of planning and the use of alcohol on the victim was used to facilitate the offence.

"You were wanting to get her drunk and made suggestive sexual remarks. She was vulnerable because she was intoxicated and asleep.”

He jailed Middleton for 27 months and said he must sign the sex offenders register for 10 years.