A "drunken" man who raped a woman has walked free from court after a judge said the case was " wholly exceptional”.

Lee Maddock, 25, had been arrested after the victim had gone into an East Lancashire police station and had told officers what he had done.

He then owned up, Burnley Crown Court was told.

Maddock, currently out of work because of an injury and said to be a binge drinker, had no previous convictions.

A judge ruled he did not pose a risk to the public.

The defendant, of Riverside Park, Whitewell Bottom, Rossendale, had admitted rape. He was given a two year community order, with two years' supervision and an alcohol treatment programme. Maddock must pay £200 costs.

Sentencing, Judge Jonathan Gibson said the circumstance of the case were " extremely unusual”.

He said: "It's for these reasons that I am not going to apply the sentencing guidelines because it seems to me it's not in the interests of justice to do so."

The judge said he thought the defendant, who had been in a "drunken state" at the time of the offence, did have an alcohol problem.

It had been addressed to some extent with the help of Inspire, but he still required some treatment.

Judge Gibson described the case as "wholly exceptional." He said: "Normally, such offences attract an immediate custodial sentence of at least four years, with a third reduction for a plea of guilty."

The judge told the defendant :" I do not consider you to be a dangerous offender."