A PIZZA delivery woman was dragged into a house and indecently assaulted by the drunken occupants, a court heard yesterday.

The victim suffered the ordeal after calling at an address in Otterburn Place, Newton Aycliffe, with a pizza and soft drinks at 1.20am last September..

Durham Crown Court was told when the door opened, she was dragged in by 19-year-old Craig Anthony Wood and others in the house.

John Temple, prosecuting, said Wood told her: "I haven't ordered a pizza, I've ordered a stripper-gram."

Crude comments were made and the woman was backed up against a kitchen sink, where she pleaded to be allowed to go free.

Mr Temple said she was then told: "You're going nowhere, bitch", before being indecently assaulted by Wood and being groped by others.

She tried to resist and Wood said if he could not have her, he would have her money bag instead, said Mr Temple.

The ordeal, lasting about five minutes, ended when another man said: "That's enough", and she was allowed to leave.

Wood, of Elwick Avenue, Newton Aycliffe, had admitted committing an indecent assault at a previous hearing.

Geoff Hunter, mitigating, told the court yesterday: "It was a drunken prank which went very, very wrong.

"He is a man of previous good character and he is hugely remorseful. He apologises, through me, to the court and to the woman for what took place."

Mr Hunter added that the offence cost Wood his job.

Sentencing Wood to a young offenders' institution for nine months, Judge Richard Lowden told him: "Not only did this woman suffer the indignity of a sexual assault, but she had real fears for her safety."