A MAN from Bradford who sexually assaulted a woman as she slept in her bed has been jailed for more than five years.

Yousef Camara was found guilty of the attack, which took place at an address in the Bradford district, following a trial in July this year.

Prosecutor Clare Walsh told Bradford Crown Court that Camara, 24, of Broad Lane, who appeared via video link from HMP Leeds and spoke via an Italian interpreter, continued to deny the offence.

He was arrested in January this year when he failed to attend a court hearing and has been in custody ever since.

Mitigating, Paul Canfield said there was no evidence that Camara had not been invited into the property or that he had forced his way in when he “violated” the victim.

Sentencing Camara to five years imprisonment plus a further two weeks, to be served consecutively, for the offence of failing to surrender, His Honour Judge Jonathan Gibson said the sexual assault took place when he had been invited into a property where two young women lived.

The victim and her friend were sleeping in the same bed. At some point, Camara left the bed that had been made up for him in the living room.

He then lay on the edge of the bed beside the victim, who was vulnerable due to being asleep and sexually assaulted her.

She woke and “remonstrated” with Camara for what he had done, and called a taxi so that he could leave the property.

Judge Gibson said Camara had been found guilty by a jury.

He told Camara: “You have no previous convictions for sexual offences and the one conviction you do have for an offensive weapon charge, whilst concerning, is of a different nature.

“The lack of previous convictions for sexual offences is a mitigating feature.

“I have seen no victim personal statement in the case although there is no doubt that [based] on the evidence that I heard at the trial the victim was incredibly upset as a result of what happened.

“Implicit in the sentences which are indicated by the guidelines is an indication that offences of this kind can have a significant effect upon a victim.

“I make no comment about deportation one way or the other. That is a matter for the relevant authorities.”