A MAN who sexually assaulted a Swindon mum in her own home has been fined £500.

Terrence Cook grabbed the woman and tried to pull off her trousers during the incident in August.

After breaking free from his grasp the victim ran out of her home into the street where neighbours, who were having a party, were standing outside.

But having heard that he only tried to get her trousers down in a tussle a judge imposed a fine rather than a community order.

As a result of the sentence imposed at Swindon Crown Court, the 41-year-old car dealer will not have to register as a sex offender, despite the conviction.

Colin Meeke, prosecuting, said the defendant had gone to see the woman at her home in the west of Swindon on August 12 last year. After using the upstairs toilet he grabbed the woman, who was on the landing, putting an arm around her neck and throwing her face down on her bed.

“He pushed her down to the bed and said something like ‘Sorry, I have got to do this,’ and started pulling at her trousers,” Mr Meeke said.

She struggled, and bit his hand as she tried to get it off her mouth and she was able to break free and run into the street. As she fled into the street shortly before 10pm she twisted a ligament in her knee in the panic.

Mr Meeke said: “There was a party going on in a nearby house and a number of people were outside.”

She curled in a ball in front of them, he said, saying Cook had sexually attacked her and to keep him away. Mr Meeke said the defendant came outside and handed himself to the police when they arrived at the scene telling them to take him away.

Cook, of Dyers Close, Chippenham, pleaded guilty to a charge of sexual assault.

Chris Smyth, defending, said his client ran his own business buying and selling vehicles with an income in the region of £35,000.

Passing sentence Judge Douglas Field said he would punish him with a fine because of difficulties with him completing a community order.

“You pleaded guilty on an agreed basis to sexual assault which is at the bottom of the range of seriousness and you are being sentenced on those facts.”

As well as fining him £500 he also ordered him to pay £15 victim surcharge.