A&R man Matthew Meape, 30, will call a consultant neurologist to confirm he was asleep and not aware of his actions when groping the woman.
Meape quit his music business degree course to accept a job with the label, which is part of the Warner Music Group empire and he is responsible for finding and developing new artists.
He ended a night of drinking and drug-taking in bed with his female work colleagues on either side and is accused of deliberately groping the 28 year-old university graduate.
Meape, of Ada Road, Camberwell has pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexually assaulting the woman at the address of another colleague in Usborne Mews, Lambeth on October 10, 2019.
He told Inner London Crown Court he drank pints of Guinness after work at Kensington’s Devonshire Arms; bottles of Peroni at a nearby Holiday Inn bar, plus a shot of tequila, also taking cocaine at both locations.
He also took cocaine at the third colleague’s flat, where they agreed to sleepover and travel to work together the next morning.
“We sat on the bed talking, maybe we were up thirty to forty minutes and then just fell asleep at around 3am,” Meape told the trial.
“I wasn’t very drunk, tipsy maybe and felt sharp due to the cocaine, that’s generally what it does.
“I think I was the first to fall asleep,” explaining his next memory was waking up alone in the bed.
“I didn’t think anything had happened. I just thought they had gone to work and not woken me up.”
Meanwhile, the complainant, who says Meape had his hands all over her during the night had reported him to Parlophone bosses.
“I got a call from the President of the company, saying I was suspended due to a complaint about my behaviour that night from another employee.”
His employment came to and end soon after, but he continues to work in the industry with artist management and events.
“I have always slept bad. I have never been a good sleeper and had this issue come up before,” he told the trial.
Referring to his ex-girlfriend of eight years he explained: “She said that I would touch her in my sleep in varying degrees. I was aware it was possible, but I had no control.”
When asked by prosecutor Louise McCullough if he warned the two women about his sleep disorder Meape replied: “I wish I did say that.
“I have now changed my lifestyle and am in and out of sobriety. I think your sleep pattern is not as good when you are drinking and since not drinking my sleep is better.”
At the start of the trial the prosecutor told the jury: “There is an unusual feature of this case, which is that Mr Meape is raising a defence of ‘sexsomnia’ essentially behaving in a sexual manner in a sleep-like state.”
Fighting through tears the complainant told the trial it was approximately 5.30am when she felt Meape touch her.
“His arm turned very purposefully and he started stroking my skin under my top. As soon as he touched my skin I was in complete shock, I don’t think we had even hugged before.
“When he was stroking I realised he was awake and I felt very unsafe. He crossed a line without any regard for me or any boundaries.
“I made any small movements I could to protect my body and the stroking slowly moved up to my chest area,” added the woman, confirming she did not shout out at any point.
“I grabbed myself with both arms so he would not be able to touch my breasts and it felt like it was going on forever, twenty minutes or so.
“He tried to get his fingers under my hands, but I was so tight he just gave up.”
She fled to the bathroom, where she repeatedly texted her sleeping female colleague before returning to her side of the bed because she had nowhere to go and needed to charge her phone.
“I felt it was getting more aggressive and forceful. He was stroking his fingers down my face from my head and tried to put his fingers in my mouth three times.
“He was brushing different parts of my body around my bum and between my legs, stroking over my tights under my skirt.
“He was playing with the waistband of my tights and I remember shaking,” the complainant sobbed, adding Meape then pushed with more force between her legs.
“He had his feet overlocking mine and I felt I could not move and he was twisting into me.
“At that point I thought he was going to rape me.
“I could feel Matt grabbing me and thrusting towards me. He was using force, that’s all I can say and when I was lying there I knew he was awake.”
When questioned during a HR investigation at Parlophone Meape said: “I didn’t mean for anything to happen. I didn’t mean to do anything and while I was awake nothing happened.”
Ten months later the police were informed in August, 2020 and in a prepared statement Meape said: “I have no recollection of the alleged sexual touching.
“Once I fell asleep I have no recollection. I am mortified by this allegation and feel I might have a sleep issue.
“I may have to undergo and examination for a sleeping disorder.”
Trial continues…………..
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