A 24-year-old man accused of sexually assaulting a sleeping woman at a Butler apartment last month will face trial in Butler County Court.

District Judge Pete Shaffer at a preliminary hearing Monday ordered Michael S. Blessing II held for court on charges of rape of an unconscious person, aggravated indecent assault and indecent assault.

The alleged victim, who lives in Butler County and knew Blessing for at least several months before the suspected assault, refused to look at the defendant during her testimony at the 25-minute hearing.

The Butler Eagle is not identifying the accuser due to the nature of the charges.

She said she went to Blessing’s West North Street apartment Oct. 9 to “hang out.”

While lying together on a couch watching movies, she testified, he asked for sex but she refused. She said she took a nap for about 45 minutes.

“I woke up and he asked me if I had a good dream,” she said. After posing the question, he admitted having sex with her.

“He said he was sorry,” the woman testified, “and explained what he did.”

Soon after, she notified police and went to Butler Memorial Hospital, where a rape kit was collected.

During cross-examination by Blessing’s attorney, James Donohue, the woman acknowledged she had no recollection of what happened, referring to any sexual assault.

She told Donohue her clothes were intact when she awoke. She said other than feeling soreness in her genital area, she was not injured.

Butler police Detective Sgt. David Dalcamo testified of his interview with Blessing after he spoke to the woman.

The defendant acknowledged fondling the accuser and having sexual intercourse, Dalcamo said.

But Blessing also admitted he later apologized to the woman, claiming “he didn’t realize she was still sleeping,” the officer said.

Dalcamo told Donohue that his interview with the defendant was recorded on audio and video. However, police no longer have that recording.

“The computer crashed,” Dalcamo said, “and we lost it.”

While questioned by Donohue, the officer in recounting the interview with Blessing testified that the defendant said he and the woman had “made out” before the alleged assault.

He also told Dalcamo that before Oct. 9 he and the accuser had engaged in consensual sex.

Blessing remains free on $25,000 bail.