[Stoat]

More:

Sleepwalker acquitted of sexual assault - Telegraph

Ormskirk sleepwalker Alan Ball cleared by judge of molesting young girl speaks to the Advertiser about his year-long nightmare - Skelmersdale Advertiser

“The experts consider that because he did not carry out more activity when he got into bed with her it is more concurrent with sleepwalking and the evidence leads both experts to the opinion that he had no intention of abuse.”

In the light of the experts’ reports the Crown Prosecution Service and the girl’s family declined to offer evidence against Mr Ball and Judge Stuart Baker delivered a verdict of not guilty to charges of sexual assault against a child under 13.

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[nmh]

How can you walk around, plop into bed and have sex while SLEEPING?

[library user]

The former lorry driver today said he lost his job and became a social outcast following the allegations.

Oh, poor baby. /s

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Fiorella Brereton, prosecuting, told Preston crown court Mr Ball was sleepwalking when he got into bed with the girl...

Kind of nice to have a prosecutor who is willing to provide an alibi for him right up front.

"Yeah...that's the ticket....I was sleepwalking."

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

With brain-wave analysis and other tech, experts can probably render an accurate and objective diagnosis of sleepwalking (although that wouldn't prove that the man was sleepwalking at the time of this incident).

If he did this in his sleep, he should not be considered criminally responsible. OTOH, perhaps he should be institutionalized for treatment; until he's no longer a threat to anyone else.

[BigCinBigD]

While on safari I once awoke to find myself out side my tent where I was forced to shoot a Lion in my pajamas. How the lion got in to my pajamas I'll never know...

[Tax-chick]

Yeah, “sleepwalking.” It sounds like he’s a falling-down alcoholic who emerged semi-conscious from a stupor, as they do, fell into a bed with the under-13 girl, and was functional enough to recognize a female body. “Sleepwalking” is a bit of a stretch. I assume the “family history of this type of sleepwalking” is a family history of alcoholism, if they were honest.

Most likely, the girl, not being smashed, woke up and screamed or punched him. Too bad she didn’t have a knife under the pillow.

[montag813]

How can this be called “sex assault”? He is a drunken fool, but he kissed a girl on the lips. there was no “sex” or “rape”.

[Sig Sauer P220]

You can find an expert to say anything you want in court, for the right price.

[magslinger]

IMHO this should never have come to trial. It is wrong to try a corpse.

[NonValueAdded]

well, at least he didn’t show up to cast a vote at 3 AM.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

When I read the headline I knew this hadda be Merry Olde Englande. Sheesh.

Stick with the incubus defense, next time, pal.

[Excellence]

My ex-husband, who was a heavy drinker, got up in the middle of the night, walked around the bed, and peed on my head. The girl was lucky all this guy did was kiss her.

[ApplegateRanch]

experts agreed Mr Ball was sleepwalking blind drunk at the time and did not know what he was doing.

Voluntary diminishment of capacity should be an exacerbating, not a mitigating, circumstance.