A FORMER care worker was jailed for four and a half years today after subjecting two sleeping women to rape attacks.

Lincoln Thomson preyed on his victims at addresses in his home town in the Borders when both women were incapable of giving consent to sex.

Thomson, 34, formerly of Kelso, had earlier denied assaulting the women between 2010 and 2019 but was earlier found guilty of two charges of rape on unanimous verdicts.

A judge told him at the High Court in Edinburgh: "The charges are plainly serious. There can be no proper alternative to a custodial sentence."

Judge Simon Collins QC said Thomson had not expressed any remorse for the offending against the women.

The judge said that Thomson had "lived an otherwise pro-social life" and worked with vulnerable adults.

Defence counsel Sarah Livingstone said that he had worked in the care sector for some time and came from a good family.

She maintained that Thomson could be seen as posing a low risk of further offending and the court could take account of his previous good character and contribution through public service

She told the court: "He accepts custody is inevitable. He accepts these are serious offences."

Thomson was told that he would be placed on the sex offenders' register for an indefinite period.