The 48-year-old “cowardly” pervert who sexually assaulted a drunken teenager while she lay unconscious in a hotel room before blaming “sexsomnia” for his sickening attack has been sentenced to more than seven years in prison

• Andrew Peel, of Pochard Close, Bradford, was found guilty of two counts of sexual assault

A pervert who sexually abused a teenager and blamed “sexsomnia” for his disturbing attack has been sentenced to seven and a half years in prison.

Andrew Peel, 48, attacked his victim as she lay unconscious in the Liverpool branch of Premier Inn in Albert Dock.

The “cowardly” sex offender then presented a “pathetic excuse for his despicable behaviour” and claimed he was sleepwalking during the attack.

After an afternoon and night of drinking in Liverpool city centre, Peel sexually abused the teenage plaintiff in her room after she had “fallen asleep” while drunk.

The victim said he was in the same hotel room as Peel the night of the incident.

During his six-day trial, Peel, of Pochard Close in Bradford, claimed he suffered from a condition called “sexsomnia”.

This condition is a type of sleep disorder in which the person performs sexual activities while sleeping.

However, the pervert’s defense was rejected by a jury, which found him guilty of two counts of sexual assault.

The victim’s statement, read on her behalf at Liverpool Crown Court, said: “(Peele) has fabricated a cowardly and pathetic excuse for his abhorrent behaviour.”

“He continued to live his normal life while I had difficulty concentrating on my studies.

“He and his behavior destroyed my self-confidence. I could not regain the self-confidence I had lost.

“I’m always scared and wondering if I’ll become someone’s victim again. I feel worthless and distrustful of so many people.

She added: “He has taken so much from me and he doesn’t deserve the things he has taken.”

“I will never get over what he did to me and the impact he had on my life.”

Peel, father of two children, has no previous convictions.

Defence lawyer Tania Griffiths told the court that his behaviour was “completely out of character for him” and described Peel as a “family man”.

She added: “He played an active role in raising his two daughters and was a hands-on father.”

“The defendant has never denied the events. He has not experienced a stress-free time. He has suffered enormous anxiety and stress. He has lost so much.”

“He has lost his home. He may also lose his business. If he does not lose his business, he will certainly suffer great damage. He has lost everything.

“He suffers from sleep apnea. The jury concluded that this was not relevant in this case, but he does indeed suffer from this serious condition and it remains to be seen how the prison administration will deal with this particular problem.”

Peel, who wore a black North Face top in the dock, was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison by Judge Denis Watson KC on Monday.

He must also sign the sex offenders’ register for the rest of his life and an indefinite restraining order has been issued against him.

After the sex offender was sentenced to over seven years in prison, Merseyside Police Detective Constable Claire McDonald said:

“Peel committed an appalling and reprehensible act of sexual assault on a teenage girl and now faces a lengthy prison sentence.”

“He also prolonged his victim’s suffering by denying the crime and forcing her to relive the ordeal in court.”

“I would like to thank her for showing such strength and determination during this extremely traumatic time and we hope that today’s sentence will give her some sense of justice as she continues her recovery.

“Anyone who has been a victim of a sexual offence, is concerned about the safety of someone they know or suspects that someone is involved in such criminal activity should come forward and speak to us.”

She continued: “Rest assured that we have a team of dedicated staff who will handle your reports expertly and compassionately, and we will do everything in our power to bring perpetrators to justice.”

“We take all such reports extremely seriously and work with partner organisations such as Victim Care support service and Rape and Sexual Abuse Support, who are there to support victims every step of the way.”