THE PRISON sentence handed down to a man who sexually assaulted a woman in Bournemouth while she slept has been increased following an appeal.

Darren Martyn Shaw, 35, was jailed for two years at Bournemouth Crown Court in March.

However, a request was made to the Attorney General's Office for the case to be assessed.

An intervention by the Solicitor General, Lucy Frazer QC MP, led to the matter being referred to the Court of Appeal through the unduly lenient sentence scheme.

The Court of Appeal found that the sentence should be extended and increased it to three years and nine months' imprisonment.

Following this judgement, the Solicitor General said: “Alcohol and drug use is no excuse for the actions of the offender, who tried to convince the victim that there had been no wrong doing on his part after he violated her in her own home.

"I am pleased that the Court of Appeal increased the sentence today. I hope this brings the victim some comfort.”

As reported, Shaw sexually assaulted his victim, who was aged 18 at the time, following a night out in January 2019.

She returned to her home with some friends and her boyfriend, as well as the defendant, who was a friend of her boyfriend.

In the early hours of morning, while the victim slept, the offender sexually assaulted her with his finger.

As the victim began to wake up, he told her that she had imagined it all and to go back to sleep.

Bournemouth Crown Court heard how police were called and Shaw, who was under the influence of drink and drugs, initially denied the allegations.

When DNA evidence taken from the complainant matched his DNA, he answered “no comment”.

He entered a guilty plea to a charge of sexual assault by penetration when the case was first brought to Bournemouth Crown Court and was sentenced by Judge Stephen Climie at the same court on March 22.