A WOMAN has been arrested on suspicion of attempting to pervert the course of justice over an allegedly false character reference submitted in support of a sex offender.

Following a trial, Suroj Bk was convicted on April 19 of charges of sexual assault and knowingly trespassing with intent to commit a sexual offence.

27-year-old Bk was found to have broken in to a woman’s home in Llangrannog in the early hours of October 7, 2023, as sexually assaulted her as she slept next to her boyfriend.

He was jailed for three-and-a-half years and was made to register as a sex offender indefinitely. His victim was granted a restraining order against him for five years.

A Dyfed-Powys Police spokesperson said that shortly after the sentencing, the force was contacted regarding a character reference that had been submitted to the court on behalf of Bk for the trial.

A 32-year-old woman has since been arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of public justice. The police have said that the woman was not involved in the trial.

“A woman has been arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice following the sentencing of a man for sexual assault,” the police spokesperson said.

“Suroj Bk, aged 27, was jailed for three-and-a-half years at Swansea Crown Court on May 3 after a jury unanimously found him guilty of the offence.

“Shortly after sentencing, Dyfed-Powys Police received a referral regarding a reference that was submitted to the court as part of the defence’s trial.

“A 32-year-old woman who was not involved in the sexual assault trial has now been arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.

“She has been released under investigation while enquiries continue.”

During the trial, Bk had argued that he was in the room but did not touch the victim, however the trial judge, Paul Thomas KC, said the defendant’s accounts had been inconsistent and that his evidence was “one of the most implausible defences I have heard in some time”.

“As the jury found, it was palpably false,” he said.

Dyfed Thomas, in mitigation, said at trial: “On this one occasion, he got drunk and did something stupid.”

He said that Bk, of Llangrannog, had no previous convictions and several positive character references.

“People speak of his good work, both in Nepal and India, and here in Wales,” Mr Thomas said, adding that the defendant had suffered “a spectacular fall from grace”.

Sentencing Bk, Judge Thomas said: “The impact on [the victim] of being sexually assaulted in her own bed at three in the morning has been profound.

“It is of great concern to me that her position has been made much worse, apparently, by those in the local community who have been taken in by your superficial charm whilst sober.

“Anyone at Llangrannog who still thinks that [the victim] had made this up is either totally blinkered or incredibly gullible.”