A HELSTON woman had been left traumatised after a man climbed into her bed, uncovered her and took naked pictures of her as she slept before downloading them to his computer, a court heard.
The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had let 29-year-old Richard Harvey stay in her house after a night out, Truro Crown Court was told.
Harvey, of Parsonage Close, Oakley, Bedford, had been visiting his parents in Cornwall.
Sean Brunton, for the prosecution, said the woman went to bed at about 11.30pm and told Harvey that he could sleep on the sofa.
"After a few minutes, she heard this defendant on the stairs; he came into her bedroom and asked if he could have a cuddle," said Mr Brunton.
The woman agreed provided he remained clothed and on top of the bed.
She fell asleep but woke at one stage to see Harvey lying beside her in bed, and he told her: "You are a sexy bitch. There is no place on earth I would rather be right now."
Mr Brunton said the woman went back to sleep but woke again later to see the light of Harvey's mobile phone pointing between her legs.
He was naked from the waist down and she was wearing the clothing in which she had gone to bed, a T-shirt and no underwear.
The woman told Harvey to get out of her house, Mr Brunton said, but received text messages from him later in which he apologised for what he described as "one drunk stupid mistake" and said: "I had the best night ever and I f***ed it up so much."
Harvey was arrested at his parents' address and officers found images on his phone and on a computer showing the woman's naked bottom half.
In interview, Harvey said he had woken up to see the woman was exposed and took the opportunity to take photographs of her as a memento.
At an earlier hearing before magistrates Harvey had admitted one count of voyeurism.
Sentencing him to a three-year community order with supervision by the probation service for the same period, On September 5, Judge Simon Carr said the woman had been traumatised by what had happened and that Harvey had chosen to uncover the woman and then download the photos to his computer.
He said: "Your behaviour that evening was despicable.
"You abused [the woman] in the most appalling way."
Harvey was ordered to attend a sex offenders' treatment programme and sign the sex offenders' register.
Judge Carr added: "Any breach of the order will be brought back in front of me and I will give you nine months' imprisonment. It will not be subject to negotiation."
