Midway through his trial and before his barrister had even offered a defence, a Canberra man has changed his plea and admitted to sexual offences against a woman.
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The 40-year-old's ACT Supreme Court trial on charges of having sexual intercourse without consent began on Wednesday.
The court adjourned for the day after prosecutor Margaret Jones opened her case, outlining her case against the man.
His barrister, Alyn Doig, was to offer a defence on Thursday morning. But instead the trial ended abruptly when the offender instead pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of committing an act of indecency without consent.
The court heard the man and his 19-year-old victim had gone to an Ainslie home with others after a night out in 2011.
The group continued to drink until about 3am, when the pair were asked to share a double fold-out futon as a bed.
The man wore tracksuit pants and no shirt, while the woman remained fully dressed.
She attempted to create a barrier by placing a pillow between herself and the offender.
She said the accused put his hand underneath her bra and in her pants.
She pushed his hand away, got up and grabbed her bag and went into the bathroom, climbed on a vanity, pushed out a fly-screen, and left through the window.
The prosecution said the woman had not consented to any sexual contact.
The woman called a friend who contacted the police.
The man texted her to ask where she had gone and then asked if he had done something bad.
He told police the two had had their arms around each other when they went to sleep, and denied the sexual acts had occurred.
The man will be sentenced in by Justice Hilary Penfold next month.