A TEENAGER has been cleared of sexually assaulting his friend's mum after turning up at her home drunk around midnight.

The Accrington 17-year-old was found not guilty of assault by penetration by a jury at Burnley Crown Court after a three day trial.

He had earlier also been acquitted of attempted rape on the direction of Judge Pamela Badley.

The defendant, who hopes to join the Marines, told the jury he went to sleep in the woman's room and awoke to find her in bed with him.

He said the woman rubbed her leg against his and told the jury: "I just kind of replied.

"I turned around and started touching her."

The defendant said the woman seemed to be enjoying it.

Asked by his barrister Oliver Jarvis how it stopped, he continued: "I thought to myself 'What am I doing? This is my friend's mum and she is 40 odd'."