NORFOLK MAN CONVICTED OF SEXUAL ASSAULT BY A FORMER FRIEND
A woman who was sexually assaulted by a friend after a night out has described the devastating impact the attack had on her life.Bryony Piggin, 20, publicly shared her experience after Stefan Nikolic, 20, of Coast Road, Bacton, in Norfolk, was convicted of assault by penetration.On a Friday, Recorder Simon Levene sentenced Nikolic to two years in prison, suspended for 24 months, stating he had "misread" the situation.
In her statement, Ms Piggin expressed her feelings of "confusion, betrayal and sadness" following the assault.
She recalled their friendship as "inseparable" before the incident, which happened during a night out in Norwich in April 2023.
The court was told she had agreed to let Nikolic stay at her home, but when she awoke, he was assaulting her.
She said, "It was incomprehensible that my best friend would do something like that to me." The attack has left her unable to work due to her mental health, and she described her experiences of trauma, such as avoiding leaving the house, feeling "betrayed" by her trusted friend, and suffering with anxiety.
The incident caused her to drop out of her university course, and she now feels that "trauma makes it impossible to carry on." Nikolic denied the assault, claiming it was done with consent, but the jury at Norwich Crown Court found him guilty on 31 March.
The prosecution highlighted that even two years after the assault, Ms Piggin was still suffering, including PTSD.
She shared that she still experiences feelings of his touch and reports scrubbing herself "raw in the shower" after the attack.
The court noted the warm and affectionate relationship they shared prior, and the judge emphasized that Nikolic had "misread the situation," taking into account his lack of maturity.
Nikolic was also ordered to stay away from Ms Piggin for five years.
