A SEX predator who drove a young woman to the brink of suicide after violating her as she slept had his sentence slashed on appeal.

Jordan Carter, 22, furtively groped his unsuspecting victim as she slumbered, London’s Appeal Court heard.

She had thought herself totally safe after Carter offered her a bed for the night, said Mr Justice Spencer.

But the terrified young woman was “frozen with fear” when she woke to find Carter intimately fondling her.

For months she tried unsuccessfully to forget her ordeal, the court heard, going out and drinking heavily to blot out the memories.

But her “stress and depression” finally overwhelmed her - so that eight months after the assault she attempted suicide.

A friend finally convinced her to confront her attacker, and the woman secured a “frank confession” from Carter by secretly recording a conversation with him.

“He frankly admitted the offence and also apologised to her,” said the judge.

Carter, of Alexander Road, Middlewich, was jailed for three years and four months at Chester Crown Court in July last year after admitting sexual assault.

But his case reached the Appeal Court last week as he challenged his sentence, which his legal team claimed was far too harsh.

They claimed the judge who jailed Carter made too much of the psychological impact on his victim.

The judge had noted the “traumatic and devastating” effect on the woman, whose “severe psychological problems” sparked her suicide bid.

Carter was also the worse for drink and had “betrayed” the woman, the judge found.

“There was a basis for finding severe psychological harm and that the victim was particularly vulnerable owing to the circumstances in which she found herself,” Mr Justice Spencer said today.

Despite the clear “aggravating factors”, however, the appeal judge went on to reduce Carter’s sentence by 10 months.

Sitting with Lord Justice Elias and Sir John Griffith-Williams, he noted Carter’s deep remorse and “excellent previous character”.

He had presented glowing testimonials confirming his hitherto unblemished reputation.

“We think that 40 months was manifestly excessive,” said Mr Justice Spencer.

“His strong personal mitigation, coupled with the short duration of the incident and his frankness and remorse, justified a sentence at the bottom of the range”.

Carter’s sentence went from three years and four months to two years and six months.