Woman criticizes sleepwalking rape defense

LONDON, Nov. 15 (UPI) -- A British woman has criticized her country's legal system for clearing a man who claimed he was sleepwalking when he allegedly raped her.

Jane McKenna, a 33-year-old mother of two, said she is seeking information regarding cases in which an accused rapist alleged he was sleepwalking when an assault allegedly occurred, The Daily Telegraph reported Saturday.

"I could find only a handful of cases similar to mine, but I want to know what the true figures are," said McKenna, who had accused family friend Jason Jeal, 37, of raping her in her home while he was staying there. "I want to speak up for other women, I want women to come forward if this has happened to them, and I want a change in the law to stop this happening again."

Jeal maintained he was sleepwalking during the July 2007 incident and a British court cleared him of the rape charges.

But for McKenna, the incident was more than an unintentional act, a designation that clears a rape suspect under the country's Sexual Offenses Act of 2003.

"It is something that has taken away my dignity. I am married and I believe that when you get married you stay faithful," she told the Telegraph.