DETECTIVES have paid tribute to the bravery of two rape victims who have seen their Burnley attacker jailed for six-and-a-half years for sex attacks as they slept.

Andrew Johnson struck after sharing New Year’s Eve drinks with the pair, Burnley Crown Court was told.

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The women, who had been drinking Bacardi, each described how Johnson had taken advantage of them after they had gone to bed.

The defendant, of Oat Street, Padiham, must also sign the sex offenders’ register for life after he was convicted of two offences of rape and one of sexual assault, which were said to have been committed at a house in Burnley.

Speaking after the case, Det Con Mick Smith, said: “This is finally the end of what has been an extremely difficult time for the victims of such a terrible crime.

“The victims have shown incredible courage for giving evidence in court, which has seen this man brought to justice.”

Prosecutor Francis McEntee, told an earlier trial hearing that one of the women was alone on New Year’s Eve and had invited a friend over for drinks.

Later Johnson joined them, after also making contact via social media, the court heard.

One victim, after waking to find Johnson having sex with her, shouted at him to stop.

The court heard she then went to a nearby bathroom, where she found her friend asleep on the floor.

Jurors were told that the next morning one of the victims, who had gone to sleep on a sofa downstairs, awoke again to find Johnson kissing the back of her neck and groping her, again without her knowledge.

When he was arrested and interviewed about the incidents, Johnson accepted having sex with both of the women, but he insisted that the intercourse was consensual on each occasion.

Mr McEntee said it was clear the women had been incapacitated by alcohol, and sleep, so could not have given any form of consent for the sex to take place.

Later Johnson was said to have apologised for his behaviour on social media, insisting that he loved one of the women.

The 41-year-old was jailed for six-and-a-half years in relation to the offences which happened in 2014.

Defence counsel Joe Boyd told the court, on a previous occasion, that his client’s only previous criminal record had been for ‘petty’ offending and there was nothing similar recorded in his past history.