'Friendly the Clown' accused of raping a mentally impaired woman recovering from brain injury

The victim allegedly woke up to find Mr Jenson fondling her before he returned to rape her when she was staying at his home in Minnesota

Robert Jensen, who performs as Friendly the Clown, left, is in custody after being accused of raping a young woman (Twitter/Millie Lacs County Jail)

A Minnesota entertainer has been charged with sexually assaulting a mentally impaired 20-year-old woman while she was living with him and his wife.

Robert Jensen, 57, from Princeton, allegedly told the woman, who was recovering from a brain injury, “he was praying for a little girl like her to come around” in an incident on 29 January.

Due to appear in court next week on a variety of sexual assault charges, Mr Jensen, who charged $180 per booking, had made a living for around 20 years playing “Friendly the Clown” and “Bob the Balloon Twister” at children’s parties.

According to the charge sheet, the Star Tribune reported, the complaint was received by the county Community and Veterans Services agency, when the woman approached a case worker.

During a subsequent sexual assault examination at a Princeton hospital on 1 February, the victim told a nurse that Mr Jensen came into her bedroom naked, three days earlier, and fondled her before leaving. He later returned that morning and raped her.

Mr Jensen’s website, promoting the services of “Friendly” claims that “Having fun daily! is not just a slogan with Friendly the Clown”.

According to the Mail Online, the victim was advised by a relative to confront Mr Jensen’s wife, Peggy Ann Jensen, about the allegations, although Mr Jensen denied them when asked.

Mr Jensen refused to speak to police about the claims, which prompted them to take a DNA swab of his mouth.

A sample taken from Mr Jensen provided a match with the semen found on the victim’s body.

Mr Jensen was held in custody on 8 May and bail set at $100,000.