Music Biz Sleepover Grope Trial: A&R Man Blames 'Sexsomnia'

A talent scout with music giants Parlophone claims he was in the grip of ‘sexsomnia’ during a drunken sleepover when he groped a terrified work colleague, who told a jury: “I thought he was going to rape me.”

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…………… 

Jail For "Abhorrent" Bottling

A tube train thug, who smashed a glass bottle over another passenger's head, is starting a prison sentence of three years and four months.

The victim required ten stitches to head wounds after avoiding being struck by the first bottle hurled at him.

Trae Bjorn Tygue Robertson, 28, appeared at Inner London Crown Court, where he pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm.

At just after 12.00am on May 9, last year Robertson followed the victim through the ticket barriers at King’s Cross Underground station and began peppering him with abuse.

The verbal assault continued, and he could be heard repeatedly shouting: “come outside” – a request the victim refused to take him up on.

He then threw a glass bottle at the victim, which narrowly missed him and smashed on the station floor.

Moments later, he pulled a second glass bottle out of his pocket and smashed it over the victim’s head.

British Transport Police (BTP) officers responded to reports of the assault, arrested Robertson and transported him to police custody.

The victim was conveyed to a local hospital where he received treatment to two lacerations on his head – his wounds required 10 stitches in total.

BTP Inspector Neil McGrath said: “This was an abhorrent attack during which Robertson subjected the victim to an onslaught of abuse before showing his true colours as a violent individual.

“There is simply no place on the rail network for offenders who display violence in this way, and I am pleased our investigation has resulted in Robertson spending his immediate future behind bars.

“If you witness anyone showing aggression towards other passengers or staff on the railway, we want to hear about it. You can report incidents to us by texting 61016 or, in an emergency, calling 999.”

Thirteen Year-Old Girl Sexually Assaulted On Tube

A tube train predator caught by undercover transport cops molesting a 13 year-old girl when she boarded with her family is starting an eighteen-month prison sentence.

Abdulrizak Ali Hersi, 32, of Invicita Close, Limehouse, east London struck on a Piccadilly Line train while observed by plain clothes British Transport Police officers.

At Inner London Crown Court he was convicted of sexual assault.

He also received a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which prevents him from intentionally standing behind or next to any female he doesn’t know in a public place.

On October 11, last year shortly before 5.00pm, officers on patrol observed Hersi board a train at Green Park and stand near the doors.

At the next stop a family got on the train and moments later Hersi sexually assaulted the 13-year-old daughter. 

Officers quickly intervened and took Hersi off the train at Leicester Square and arrested him.

Inspector Sharon Turner said: “Our plain clothes teams are specially trained in identifying dangerous sexual offenders like Hersi, who will do their level best to commit such crimes without notice.

“In this case, the victim and her family didn’t even realise what was happening until our officers quickly intervened.

“Passengers should feel reassured to know we have plain clothes patrols like this taking place across the Underground day and night to keep everyone safe. If you ever have any concerns while travelling please do text us on 61016.”

Train Passenger Robbed At Knifepoint

Nicholas Connor

A robber and his teenage accomplice have been locked-up for the terrifying knifepoint mugging of a train passenger for his wallet.

Nicholas Connor, 23, snatched the 29 year-old male victim's property while his 17 year-old partner-in-crime held the blade to the passenger's stomach.

Connor even told the youth – who cannot be identified - “just stab him” while rooting through the man's wallet.

Both pleaded guilty to robbery and the juvenile also admitted a charge of possessing an offensive weapon.

Connor received five years and three months imprisonment and the teen twenty-four months custody.

Inner London Crown Court heard on the evening of August 25, 2021, Connor and the boy noticed the victim board a southbound train at London's St Pancras railway station.

They both put on face coverings and walked down the carriage before pinning the victim against the train’s window – as they did so the boy pulled out a knife and held it against the victim’s stomach.

The pair then got off the service at Blackfriars station and later that evening Connor used the victim’s Oyster card when boarding a bus.

Investigating officers successfully identified the pair through the train’s on-board CCTV cameras and they were subsequently arrested in connection.

British Transport Police Detective Constable Daniel Phelan said: “We know offenders like Connor are targeting people on the railway to take their belongings, and we’re wholeheartedly committed to ensuring they are caught and put behind bars where they belong.

“This pre-meditated robbery would have been very distressing for the victim, I just hope the prison sentences handed down go some way to providing him with closure. 

“Our uniformed and plain-clothes teams deploy on the rail network every day to deter this crime type and ensure passengers’ right to a safe journey is upheld.

“If a robbery has just happened, always dial 999 – our officers will quickly deploy to your location and begin immediate enquiries to trace the culprits.”

Murder Trial: 'Law Graduate Stabbed Boyfriend To Death'

Blaze Wallace & Sam Mayo

A law graduate with ambitions to be a human rights lawyer plunged a kitchen knife into her boyfriend’s heart when he stormed out of their flat after another row, a court heard yesterday.

Blaze Lily Wallace, 28, fatally wounded Samuel Mayo, 34, after following him from their Mortlake, south-west London home, Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court was told.

She graduated from St. Mary’s University, Twickenham with a law degree in 2017 and at the time of her arrest was studying her Masters in Human Rights & Legal Practice at the University of Roehampton.

However, the couple had a stormy drug-fuelled relationship and an upstairs neighbour heard Mayo shouting: “I’m done with you, you’re nasty,” minutes before he was killed.

Wallace has pleaded not guilty to Murdering Mr Mayo and possessing an offensive weapon, namely a kitchen knife, in Lower Richmond Road on July 18, last year.

Prosecutor Jane Bickerstaff KC told the jury the couple had been living together six months.: “They were in a relationship and had been living together in her one-bedroom flat in Mullins Path, Mortlake.

Sam Mayo & Blaze Wallace

“It seems to have been a volatile relationship, characterised by frequent arguments.

“The pair had been arguing on the day of Mr Mayo’s death and it seems he had decided enough was enough and he packed a bag and left at about 9.30 that evening.

“He can be traced on CCTV cameras, following a route away from Mullins Path and towards Mortlake centre and Ms Wallace followed him.

“She can be traced on the same cameras, following the same route, but six minutes behind him.

“A camera pointing onto Lower Richmond Road, from the entrance of the Stagg Brewery captured the pair together, walking past at a few seconds before 9.45pm.

“The defendant had clearly caught up with her intended victim and they disappear off camera to the left of the screen.

“The incident is not captured on CCTV footage, but in just under thirty seconds Mayo appears back on screen and he is now fatally injured.

“He can be seen to run into the road and back onto the pavement on the other side of the road, where he collapsed and died.”

The prosecutor said it was significant Wallace was wearing a heavy cardigan on one of the warmest nights of the year, but had discarded it when her image was captured on CCTV at 11.00pm.

The CCTV footage before the stabbing captured her with he right arm fixed to her side, with her hand seemingly in her pocket, the jury were told.

“It is the Crown’s case that the defendant had a large kitchen knife concealed at her right side. She took it out and stabbed Mr Mayo once, straight into his heart,” explained the KC.

“We say this was intentional and with no lawful reason and the defendant’s intention at the time was to kill her boyfriend, or at the very least to cause him really serious harm.”

Wallace admits she followed her skinny eight-stone boyfriend while armed with the knife and stabbed him, but will claim self-defence.

Mayo ran into the middle of the road, shouting for an ambulance and collapsed by a garden wall and was assisted by passing motorist Anais Tolfree.

“She describes his breathing as being shallow and she tried to speak with him, however did not get any response,” said Ms Bickerstaff. 

“Another member of the public was crouched down by the male talking to him and also received no response.”

Mayo bled to death at the scene and when police arrived at 9.57pm they immediately recognised him as a local drug user, who regularly begged outside Tesco’s and Mortlake train station.

He was taken to Kingston Hospital and pronounced dead at 10.33pm.

Officers arrived at Wallace’s home at 1.00am and meanwhile she had packed a rucksack and got on a train and then an Uber, but ended up back at her address.

“They found her behaving rather oddly. Despite what we now know had just happened the defendant said not a word to the police about knowing Mr Mayo had been stabbed, nor about her involvement.

“She is described as being evasive and hostile towards the police and was typing on a laptop and said she was on Facebook Messenger to their father.

“She refused to show police the messages and shut down and locked the computer.”

Wallace told the officers she had an argument with her boyfriend and last saw him at Mortlake station at around 10.00pm.

Despite giving her no details about Mayo’s death Wallace asked the officers: “Did he get stabbed? Did he get murdered?”

Wallace continued to act strangely, asking the police if they were genuine officers and pursuing repetitive questions and suggesting some mystery person had got into her home, the jury heard.

“You can infer from this that her behaviour was a deliberate ruse,” the prosecutor told the jury. “She knew full well that Sam had been stabbed because the evidence and her admission is she was the one who did it.”

A train passenger, Stephanie Slater, witnessed the couple “having a domestic” just before 6.30pm that day at Mortlake station, describing the female as the aggressor and the male trying to defend his position.

A neighbour, Patricia Blake, also heard Wallace shouting at Mayo that day. “The female spoke in a really vitriolic, vicious tone and the male seemed to be the appeaser.,” explained the prosecutor.

Another train station witness, Iain Main, described Mayo as the aggressor, believing the couple were either drunk or on drugs as they argued publicly.

An upstairs neighbour heard Mayo shout shortly before he was stabbed: “I’m done with you, you’re nasty,” as he left the address with some belongings.

Moments before the stabbing a Mortlake Green resident heard an aggressive female shouting: “I just want to talk to you. Ah, the real Sam is coming out now.”

A Lower Richmond Road resident, Christopher Simpson, heard some of Mayo’s last words, shouting: “Please Liz!” up to eight times and: “I love you, please Liz. Please Liz, I love you.”

“The clear inference therefore is that Sam Mayo was saying: “Please Blaze,” and it was misheard as Liz,” explained Ms Bickerstaff. 

A post mortem revealed a 4cm stab wound had penetrated Mr Mayo’s heart, causing rapid blood loss and shock.

Traces of heroin, cocaine and cannabis were found in his blood and the same drugs were found in Wallace’s urine, plus methadone.

The only recently-cleaned kitchen knife found at her home was consistent with the type of blade that caused the fatal injury.

“The obvious inference is that the knife had just been cleaned to remove any evidential traces,” added Ms Bickerstaff.

She had also prepared a half-packed black bag near her front door, containing her passport, birth certificate and some food.

Over the next three days police interviewed Wallace four times and she answered “no comment” to all questions.

The trial is expected to last three weeks. 

Bigmouth Strikes Again: Drug Bust At East Croydon Station

Police alerted to drug activity at East Croydon railway station caught a local man with wraps of cocaine and heroin hidden inside his mouth.

Jake jones, 31, of nearby Lansdowne Road failed in his attempt to swallow the drugs and is now starting a twenty-six week prison sentence.

On the afternoon of September 21, last year plain clothes British Transport Police (BTP) officers at the station overheard a man loudly announcing he was going to purchase drugs.

Just outside the station the officers saw the man meeting Jones, who then disappeared out of sight. 

He reappeared after a few minutes as he exited a black car.

Suspecting a drug deal had taken place the officers stopped Jones and asked to see inside his mouth.

He attempted to swallow numerous wraps of drugs, but they were able to recover them before he did so.

The wraps were analysed, and the contents were identified as heroin and cocaine.

At Croydon Magistrates Court Jones pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of Class A drugs.

PC Chris Green said: “Our violent crime task force patrols the London network in plain clothes every day to deter a wide range of criminal activity, including drug supply.

“Whether you see us or not, we’re there pursuing offenders and ensuring the public are safe as they travel.

“If you spot anything on the railway that seems unusual or suspicious, we’d like to hear about it. Report it to us using our 61016 text-to-report service.”

Tube Pervert Hunted By BTP

Wankee Doodle Dandy: Police Suspect

Transport cops are hunting a tube train pervert, who pleasured himself on the platform in full view of disgusted passengers.

British Transport Police (BTP) have released this CCTV image of their suspect, who was wearing a New York Yankees baseball cap.

Officers are requesting the assistance of members of the public to help identify him.

A London Underground passenger departed a Northern Line train at Charing Cross station at approximately 6.00pm on April 20 when they spotted a male masturbating.

Other witnesses and passengers reported the unknown male had been doing this for between ten and fifteen minutes.

Officers believe the man in the CCTV images may have useful information which could help their investigation.

If you recognise him or have any other information please contact BTP by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 674 of 20/04/23. 

Alternatively you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.