Canadian “Jan Luedecke was acquitted of sexual assault after a judge ruled he was asleep during the attack — a disorder known as ‘sexsomnia.'” His alleged victim was drinking at a party, fell asleep on a couch, awoke to find Luedecke having sex with her, and immediately went to the police to charge him with sexual assault. She says she will appeal Justice Russell Otter’s decision. Otter further ruled that, though Luedecke claims not to be able to control his sleep-sex, he does not have a mental disease requiring review of his condition by a mental health board.
The Toronto Sun has an entertaining interview with another man who claims to suffer from sexsomnia: “His symptoms are brought on by alcohol, he said. He rarely remembers having sex upon waking up. … [It] came close to ending his marriage. After a party one night, the man found himself in bed with his wife’s friend.” And cads everywhere cheer the new excuse, as “I was really drunk” gives way to “I was asleep.” (Natalie Pona, “It’s ruled sleep sex”, Toronto Sun, Nov. 30; Natalie Pona, “She’ll fight it all the way”, Toronto Sun, Nov. 30; Natalie Pona, “Sexsomnia nightmare”, Toronto Sun, Dec. 1 (hat-tip to W.F.)).
3 Comments
Canada has them too
That’s knucklehead judges. What drugs was Judge Russell Otter taking when he made this ruling? Because its either that or the robes that make these men or women do the most idiotic things.
On the one hand, I have more than once awakened in medias res and been pleasantly surprised to be there. (Other times, I have awakened normally after a full night’s sleep to be told by my wife that I “tried to start something” and was promptly quashed, but have no memory of the event.)
On the other hand, I have never donned a condom while asleep, as the Toronto Sun story seems to suggest. That detail seems a bit odd.
Sleepwalking exonerations for rape spread to UK
The 22-year-old defendant, James Bilton, had read an article about sleepwalking the day before the sexual assault. (Paul Stokes, “Sleepwalker cleared of three rapes”, Telegraph, Dec. 20). Previous “sexsomnia” case: Dec. 1….