A Bulgarian dishwasher who was given a suspended jail term for stealing €5,000 from his employer was yesterday sentenced to three years in jail after he sexually assaulted a Swiss woman.

Yulian Iliev, 32, from Sliema, forced himself on the woman in the stairwell of the apartment block where she lived in St Julian’s after the pair spent a long time drinking in a bar before leaving at 8am.

The woman, who cannot be named by court order, admitted to being drunk and not remembering some details but said she had left the bar alone, only to find the accused was waiting near the front door to her apartment block.

Asked why CCTV footage showed him adjusting his trousers as he left, the accused said he had lost a lot of weight

He followed her inside and pushed her against a wall.

She said he started touching her, committing lewd acts and that he hit her when she resisted him.

The accused only ran away when he heard someone coming down the stairs, the victim added.

This person happened to be her Spanish neighbour, who called the police.

CCTV footage showed Mr Iliev leaving the woman’s apartment block while adjusting his trousers.

When asked why he did so, Mr Iliev replied he had lost a lot of weight.

Mr Iliev gave a different version of events, saying the two sat on the stairs and spoke when she began hugging him and asking him if he wanted her to have sex with him.

At one point, he said, the woman produced a used tampon and he was so disgusted that he left.

A physical examination of the victim confirmed her version of events.

Magistrate Doreen Clarke concluded that the woman’s account was more credible.

The magistrate brought into force the suspended jail term and added an extra 18 months for the violent indecent assault.