A man who indecently assaulted a female passenger in his car as he was driving has received a suspended prison sentence.

But John Lane was warned if he breaches the terms of the suspended sentence order made at Durham Crown Court he will have to serve all, or at least part, of the nine-month jail term.

It follows Lane’s guilty pleas to two counts of sexual assault on a female, both said to have been committed in his car on May 5, last year.

Paul Cleasby, prosecuting, said the defendant happened to drive past the woman as she was making her way to a local shop.

He offered her a lift and she got in, but Lane soon began asking her for sex, requests which she refused.

Mr Cleasby said despite making it clear she was not interested, Lane kept touching her and persisted in his requests for sex.

She was able to push his hand away until he managed to force it down her top, and then inside the top of her trousers.

As she maintained her refusals to engage in any sexual activity, Lane told the woman to get out, but she refused as she wanted money she claimed her owed her for previous damage.

The woman then sprayed the contents of an energy drink inside the car, which Lane brought to a halt.

She did get out at this point and Lane chased after her, grabbing a handful of dirt from the ground which he rubbed in her face.

Lane then walked off, leaving the area, but the incident was reported to police and he was arrested and interviewed the following day.

He told police he crossed paths with the woman “by chance” and she got into the car of her own volition.

Lane said when he asked her to get out, she sprayed the can of energy drink, and he accepted he then chased her and scrubbed mud in her face.

Mr Cleasby said the woman told police she was fearful of Lane as she did not know what he was capable of doing to her.

The 35-year-old defendant, of Beech Grove, Trimdon Station, admitted two counts of sexual assault, but on the basis put to the court.

Mr Cleasby said even on that basis, it was a “sustained incident”, and he asked for a restraining order to be made to give the complainant some reassurance.

Matthew Bean, for Lane, said he would abide by the terms of any restraining order made by the court, adding that, as his client told the Probation Service, “he regrets what happened.”

Read more: County Durham man jailed for sex assaults on two women

Judge Ray Singh said Lane appeared to have persistently “pestered” the woman for sex during that car journey but she made it clear she was not interested.

“Ultimately you succeeded by assaulting her, by placing your hand down her top and into the waist band of her trousers, all the time while she was saying ‘no’.”

But Judge Singh said as it appears to have been a lone incident of its kind, as Lane has nothing of a similar nature on his record, he could suspend the nine-month prison sentence for two years.

During that time, the defendant must take part in 30 rehabilitation activity days working with the Probation Service, as well as complete no more than 90 days on an accredited sexual offender group work programme.

Lane was also made subject of a restraining order, prohibiting him from contacting or approaching the complainant, and he must also register as a sex offender, both for the next ten years.

Judge Singh warned Lane: “It’s a matter for you now whether you serve any or part of that prison sentence over the course of the next two years.

“Fail to comply with the conditions, or commit further offences, and you can expect to go to prison.”

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