Ex-Royal Navy Officer Loses Appeal For Molesting Sleeping Woman

A former Royal Navy lieutenant has lost an appeal against his conviction for molesting a sleeping woman.

Peter Coughlin had argued his conviction was unsafe because he thought his victim was awake when he assaulted her.

However, Lord Justice Davis dismissed the case at London's Appeals Court.

Coughlin, who was "dismissed with disgrace" from the Royal Navy following the conviction, said at his trial in April that the woman had consented to what happened.

He was convicted of assault by penetration at Portsmouth Court Martial Centre and jailed for two-and-a-half-years on April 28.

At the time Judge Advocate Robert Hill said Coughlin was "clutching at straws" in his belief the victim was sexually attracted to him.
 
Judge Hill said:

"In an episode of pure madness you failed to resist the temptation. She trusted you completely."

Coughlin was ordered to sign the sex offenders' register for an indefinite period.
 
The prosecution described how the 34-year-old had been drinking with the victim at a hotel in Muscat, Oman, before going back to his cabin.
 
The pair smoked a shisha pipe outside before Coughlin invited her into his room.
 
They went in to watch a movie but the she fell asleep before he could get his laptop working.

Lieutenant Colonel Will Peters, prosecuting, said:

"The next thing that happened was she woke up on Lt Coughlin's bed. It was light outside. She awoke and appreciated what was going on, she instantly jumped off the bed, he immediately said sorry and she left the cabin."

In a video interview shown to the court the victim said Coughlin’s actions had "made her skin crawl".
 
She said:

"I felt physically sick, I couldn't really understand what had just occurred, I just burst into tears. I went to have a shower, I tried to process it, I should never, never have gone into his cabin."

"There was no form of consent in any manner. He thought he could just get away with it."

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