Joshua Ekisa was jailed for seven years for attempting to rape a woman he met at Sugar nightclub

A university student who removed the underwear of a sleeping woman and attempted to rape her told her it was best she leave because he wouldn’t be able to stop.

A man who attempted to rape an unconscious woman told her it was best for her to leave because he wouldn’t be able to stop.

Joshua Ekisa’s despicable actions left the woman severely traumatised after he removed her underwear while she was sleeping.

The Adelaide District Court heard the 24-year-old man met the victim at the Sugar Nightclub in Adelaide on May 1, 2018.

“You offered to let the victim stay overnight at your house,” Judge Simon Stretton said during sentencing.

“She told you that if she went to your place nothing sexual was to happen and you agreed, pointing out that you had two separate bedrooms at your premises.”

They caught a taxi to a West Beach unit, where the victim repeated she did not want to have sex that evening and they went to sleep.

The victim was woken up to Ekisa attempting to rape her.

“She screamed with pain and pushed you back, noting that her underwear and stockings had been removed by you,” Judge Stretton said.

“She said that if you were going to continue to act the way you were acting she would leave.

“You replied ‘Yeah, maybe it is best that you did because I can’t stop’.”

The “distressed” victim left the house and was assisted by a passer-by.

“At that point she noticed you following her, which you continued to do until she reached a service station on Military Road and was able to call the police,” Judge Stretton said.

Joshua Ekisa was jailed for over seven years for attempting to rape a woman. Picture: File

Ekisa, of West Beach, had previously pleaded guilty to attempted rape.

“Your actions have severely traumatised the victim,” Judge Stretton said.

“She feels manipulated and exploited by someone who she initially trusted and felt a bond with.”

The court heard Ekisa, who was born in Uganda, was studying psychology at university but withdrew from the course when he was placed on home detention bail.

“You have worked consistently in various jobs and are good at sport,” Judge Stretton said.

The court heard Ekisa had previously been convicted for sexual assaults, with all while under the influence of alcohol.

Judge Stretton sentenced Ekisa to seven years and nine months, with a non-parole period of five years.

“Your sexual attitude and treatment of women is completely unacceptable,” he said.

“You need to fix that and change that because otherwise you will be spending most of your life in prison.”

The sentence was backdated to July 9, 2019.