Danish man cleared of crimes due to 'sexsomnia'

A court has cleared a 31-year-old man of sex crimes charges, saying medical tests show he suffers from "sexsomnia" in which a person engages in sexual activity while asleep. Picture: Thinkstock

A DANISH man has been acquitted of molesting two 17-year-old girls after he was found to suffer from a rare sleep disorder known as "sexsomnia". 

The Glostrup court said the man fondled the teenagers while sleeping in his suburban Copenhagen apartment after a party in 2011.

The girls awoke and interrupted the man, and later reported him to police.

But the court cleared the 31-year-old of sex crimes charges, saying medical tests show he suffers from "sexsomnia" in which a person engages in sexual activity while asleep.

Michael Laub, a Danish sleep specialist who wasn't involved in the case, said it's a rare but widely recognised sleep disorder.

The defendant said he had no recollection of what happened.

Prosecutor Martin von Buelow said he wouldn't appeal the ruling.