Andrew Murray 40

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A MAN has been jailed for four years after raping a woman who fell asleep after getting drunk at a house party, a court heard.

Andrew Murray, 23, of Morse Street, Burnley, was sentenced after pleading guilty to rape at Burnley Crown Court last month.

He was jailed this week.

The woman was raped twice at a house in Burnley on March 25 last year, the court was told.

After Murray raped the woman, she fell asleep and reported the attack to the police later through a third party.

During police questioning Murray who, the court heard, was of good character with no convictions, had maintained he was not responsible for the attack.

But police said they were able to use DNA evidence to link Murray to the offence.

She was raped twice during the night after she was put into a child's single bed in one of the bedrooms in the house.

The woman, who had been put to bed after she became drunk, did not report the attack straight away because she was concerned about the effect it would have.

After the case, DC Neil Swindells, of Burnley CID, who worked on the case, said:

"This was a nasty attack on a vulnerable adult through drink and circumstances.

"She had been drinking and was not in charge of her faculties. She remembers some of what happened.

"She waited to report the attack because she was worried about her friend's reaction.

"Throughout the interviews Murray maintained that he was not responsible and we were able to connect him to the attack through forensic evidence."