Man sexually assaulted woman as she slept on beach

Report by BBC Isle of Man

A man who sexually assaulted a woman, who had fallen asleep after a barbecue on a beach, has been jailed for three years and eight months.

Nathan Briggs, 26, attacked the woman on Jurby Beach, in the north of the Isle of Man, on 20 August 2025 after they spent the afternoon socialising.

Douglas Courthouse heard the woman had fallen asleep sometime after 8.30pm but awoke a short time later to find him assaulting her.

Deemster Graeme Cook said it was a "quite horrific" assault and although it had been a momentary and opportunistic offence it had had a "profound effect on the victim".

The court heard that although Briggs and the woman were known to each other, they were not in a relationship.

They had arranged to meet up for the barbecue and travelled to the beach after buying alcohol at a supermarket in Ramsey.

After falling asleep, the woman felt Briggs lightly slapping her cheek in a bid to wake her, the court was told.

However, when she came round, she found he was assaulting her so pushed him away and started to scream.

The police were called and Briggs was arrested the next day.

The court heard he had answered "no comment" to all questions when interviewed by officers but later pleaded guilty to one charge of assault by penetration.

In a victim impact statement, the woman said that prior to the assault she had "hopes, plans and was sure of who I was" but Briggs's actions had "destroyed my ability to enjoy life".

She said she now suffered from horrendous nightmares, flashbacks, and regular panic attacks, and the assault had destroyed her trust in men.

"The impact did not end when the abuse did," she said, adding: "It changed the course of my life and I continue to suffer the consequences every day."

Briggs was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order banning him from contacting the victim for 10 years and placed on the sex offenders register for life.