A&R man Matthew Meape, 30, shared a double bed with two female colleagues following after-work drinks and molested the woman in the early hours, the court heard.
However, he will call expert medical evidence, plus other witnesses to confirm he has a sleep disorder, insisting he was not aware of what he was doing.
Meape, of Ada Road, Camberwell has pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexually assaulting the 28 year-old university graduate at the address of another colleague in Usborne Mews, Lambeth on October 10, 2019.
Prosecutor Louise McCullough said: “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 Inner London Crown Court jury it was approximately 5.30am when she felt Meape, who was lying between the two women, touch her.
“I felt very startled when Matt put his arm on me. I was frightened when he put his arm on me, across my midriff, across my stomach.”
She had got under the duvet fully-clothed and thought her two colleague were also dressed. “At first I thought he was asleep, but very quickly realised that he probably was awake.
“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, hoping she would wake-up and read what was happening.
“I went back in and tried whispering shouting her name and I did not want to wake Matt. I felt so violated and frightened I didn’t know how things would go if he woke up.”
Because she wanted to charge her phone by the bed the woman retuned to the same spot, but initially at least, laid on top of the covers, before Meape escalated his behaviour, she told the trial.
“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.”
She recorded two short clips on her phone, which were played to the jury, showing her with a terrified look on her face, lying on the edge of the bed with Meape, eyes closed, behind her.
She left the address for work at 8am and reported the evening’s events to her boss, telling the jury it started out as four colleagues enjoying after-work drinks.
They had left their Kensington Parlophone office - part of Warner Music Group - and visited the nearby Devonshire Arms, where Meape agrees he drank Guinness.
At closing time they wanted to continue drinking and Meape says he had a Peroni beer and a shot of tequila at the local Holiday Inn bar, with the complainant saying she had one gin and tonic all night.
The fourth colleague left and the remaining three agreed to have a sleepover at the Lambeth flat because it was late and convenient to travel to work the next day.
Meape woke up alone and received a work message telling him he was suspended.
Later that day he messaged the complainant: “I want to apologise if I made you feel uncomfortable in any way. I genuinely did not mean to make you uncomfortable.
“I would never knowingly put myself in that situation. I told my girlfriend and she told me I do similar things to her when I am asleep. I want you to know from the bottom of my heart I’m really sorry.”
Trial continues……………
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