A BUSINESSMAN has been jailed for five years after a jury convicted him of attempting to rape a teenage girl and sexually assaulting another.

Raymond Talbot, aged 46, was found to have attempted to rape the 18-year-old girl in May last year and sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl in 2006, a trial at Bolton Crown Court heard.

Sentencing Talbot, of Waters Edge, Farnworth, Recorder Alan Conrad QC told him: “You have shown no remorse in this matter.”

Talbot claimed the attempted rape had happened while he was sleepwalking, but the jury did not believe him.

The court was told how, in the early hours of the morning, a naked Talbot had entered the girl’s bedroom while she slept.

She woke when he put his hand on her stomach telling her “Shush, everything will be all right,” then pushing her down on to the bed.

“She was in complete shock,” said Recorder Conrad.

Other girls, who were at the property, heard the commotion and tried to get into the room, but Talbot would not let them in at first.

“The incident was completely distressing for her (the victim),” added Judge Conrad.

The jury also convicted Talbot, who runs a roofing business, of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl in a kitchen in 2006.

As well as being jailed, Talbot must sign the sex offenders’ register and was banned from working with children for an indefinite period.