Drunken pervert sexually assaulted sleeping girl during illegal Leeds lockdown party

Edvanio Seque attended the gathering on April 10, 2020, which had been outlawed weeks earlier under the Covid-19 laws imposed by the Government.

But the 32-year-old admitted he drank too much, and even suggested he may have had his drink spiked and “blacked out”, prosecutor Adam Kirkby told Leeds Crown Court.

He then got into bed with the girl, pulled down her knickers and began touching her bottom and upper leg. The girl quickly challenged Seque who pleaded with her not to tell her mother.

He was later arrested and eventually entered a guilty plea to sexual assault. A impact statement from the young victim was read to the court in which she said: “It took place in my house which is meant to be my safe space. It was truly a scary experience.”

Mitigating, Andrea Parnham said that Seque, of Morritt Avenue, Halton, suffered from severe mental health issues, was diagnosed with schizophrenia and had stopped taking his medication during that period.

He has two previous convictions but none for sexual offending. Miss Parnham said the delay in proceedings was due to Seque being sectioned for his own safety.

She said: “He accepts back in April 2020 he had disengaged with his medication and took alcohol. He accepts it was his responsibility that he got into that state. Although he is still not a particularly well man, he is now in a much better place.”

The judge, Recorder David Kelly told him: “As a result of your offence, your victim no longer feels safe in her own home. It’s likely it was linked to your mental health problems at a time you were not taking your medication and drinking alcohol.

"I’m satisfied overall that there is a reasonable prospect of your rehabilitation.”

He gave him a three-year community order, ordered him to enrol on a 43-day accredited sex offender programme, gave him 55 rehabilitation days with probation and a six-month curfew.

He was also given a five-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) and put on sex offender register for the same period of time.