DJ admits sexual assault

Terry Lavery, from Lady Wallace Road, pleaded guilty to sexual assualt.

Lavery sexually assaulted his victim after a late night party at his Lisburn home in February 2014.

The court heard that the victim fell asleep in a spare room which Lavery crept into early the next morning.

On two occasions he pulled down her tights and pants, touching her private parts.

Lavery’s victim then left the spare room and went to the room where his wife was sleeping.

Thinking she would be safe there she clambered into bed with her friend.

But Lavery followed after her and got into bed with the two women.

While his wife slept just inches away he put his arms around his victim and rubbed her hand.

It was then that the horrified woman got up, rang a taxi and left the house.

She told her mother the next day and in a series of texts to Lavery he admitted his guilt.

The following week she made a complaint to police and he was charged with sexual assault. The victim said she did not want to see anyone go to prison over the attack.

Sentencing shame-faced Lavery, Judge Patrick Lynch accused him of a “gross abuse of hospitality”.

He told him: “This young woman was entitled to feel safe in your home.

“That trust was grossly abused by you. She had her clothing removed and her private parts felt by you. I do allow that you are genuinely remorseful for what has occurred.

“But make no mistake about it you appear as a criminal before me.”

A defence lawyer said Lavery “deeply regrets” his sickening behaviour.

He explained how his client admitted wrongdoing immediately afterwards in a text to his victim, that read: “I am so sorry that I did that to you. I honestly do not remember a thing.”

The lawyer added: “He was apologising and apologetic from the very day the incident happened.”

Lavery is the owner of a firm called Alternative Weddings NI and worked as a DJ at the after-show party when the MTV European Music Awards came to Belfast in 2011.