A 57-year-old man found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman is today starting a five year jail term.

Puisne Judge Charles-Etta Simmons jailed the man was found guilty of a charge of sexual assault causing actual bodily.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had denied the charge but was found guilty by a Supreme Court jury.

The man, who had previously received treatment at the former St. Brendan?s Hospital, now the Mid- Atlantic Wellness Institute (MAWI), sexually assaulted another MAWI outpatient at Devonshire Bay in 2004.

During sentencing, prosecutor Wayne Caines urged Mrs. Justice Simmons to send the convicted man to prison for six years.

?This was a serious crime. This man should be used as an example to others that right thinking members of society will not tolerate such behaviour,? he said.

However, defence attorney Llewellyn Peniston urged the court to impose a lenient and compassionate sentence.

He told Mrs. Justice Simmons: ?This very sad saga involved the complainant and the defendant, both of whom were and remain seriously handicapped with psychological challenges, and in both instances with a continuing dependence on psychotic drugs.?

He continued: ?It is clear that it (a lengthy prison term) will have a detrimental effect upon the prisoner?s dependent family, significant costs to the taxpayers, overcrowding, and a loss of faith in the system charged with reform of the prisoner.?

The defendant apologised to the court and said: ?She lied about what happened just because I didn?t give her the money I was supposed to. I am sorry to my family and to my church.?

Mrs. Justice Simmons said the defendant voluntarily used drugs on the day of the offence and despite his psychological challenges understood the consequences of his behaviour. She then meted out the five-year prison sentence.