A teenager sexually assaulted by a Didcot businessman has spoken of her anger after he was allowed to walk free from court.

Married father-of-two Ian Gilbey, who owned The Towers Country Club on the Northern Perimeter Road, inappropriately touched the girl at the club on two occasions in Januarythis year, leaving her "shocked and frightened".

At Oxford Crown Court yesterday, 48-year-old Gilbey, of Mereland Road, Didcot, was given a three-month suspended sentence after admitting two charges of sexual assault.

Judge David Morton Jack said he did not believe Gilbey remained a threat to women and it was "just possible" to spare him jail. He told him: "Don't do it again."

His victim, who cannot be named, told the Oxford Mail last night Gilbey had ruined the past six months of her life and should have been locked up.

She said: "I thought he would get away with it, but it was still a shock and I was extremely upset.

"I think he should have done time to suffer. He needs to suffer. It has ruined the last six months of my life. It should not happen at my age. It's ridiculous just for him to be told not to do it again. He is not a nice man."

The court heard that when Gilbey assaulted the girl, she did not know how to react.

Prosecutor Cathy Olliver said: "She was young and she didn't know what to do to stop it."

But when Gilbey was arrested he immediately admitted sexually assaulting her.

Mrs Olliver said he realised what he had done was wrong and told police he now felt "like a pervert."

Rachel Drake, defending Gilbey, said he was of previous good character, had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and had shown remorse for what he had done.

She said: "It was two isolated incidents where he crossed the inappropriate boundary."

Sentencing Gilbey, Judge Morton Jack told him: "You harrassed her to an extent, plainly with sexual thoughts. She in her immaturity did not know how to deal with you.

"Your conduct plainly had a serious impact on her."

Gilbey will also be subject to a two-year supervision order and will be on the sex offenders' register for seven years.

David Brewerton, former general manager of The Towers which has since closed, said the sentence was too lenient.

He said: "I was shocked when I heard what had happened which was part of the reason for me leaving when I did.

"Anyone who does anything like that should not get away with it."