A MAN who used a woman as his ‘sexual play thing’ and intimidated her with his aggressive behaviour has avoided a jail sentence.

Neil Dixon’s controlling behaviour led to his victim feeling unable to refuse to have sexual intercourse with him during the course of months of abuse.

But on Friday, November 10, he was spared an immediate jail sentence.

Chester Crown Court heard that Dixon, of Norbreck Close, Sankey Bridges, would engage in sexual activity with his victim weekly between December 2015 and March 2016.

While the 37-year-old believed that this was consenting, she felt ‘worn down by his overbearing demeanour and felt unable to say no’.

Dixon ‘behaved in a sexually aggressive way towards her’, including pushing her down and having sex with her when she did not want to.

On another occasion, he removed the victim’s jeans and - although she attempted to pull them back up - he persisted and performed a sexual act before having sex with her.

The court heard that Dixon had also grabbed hold of his victim and forced his hands inside her trousers.

Dixon, described by his barrister Simeon Evans as a ‘hardworking man’ had originally faced seven charges of sexual assault and rape.

But the Crown Prosecution Service accepted Dixon’s guilty plea to a lesser charge of coercive and controlling behaviour - a decision that the victim supported.

His honour judge Patrick Thompson handed him a jail sentence of two years, suspended for two years.

Dixon was also ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work, undergo a rehabilitation activity requirement for 35 days and pay £600 costs.

He was also subjected to a restraining order preventing him from contacting the victim or going within 100m of her home for the next five years.

Sentencing, judge Thompson said: “This case involves verbal and physical intimidation and aggression, with the victim being pushed around, bullied and used as a sexual play thing.

“His needs were the most important thing to him and nobody else mattered.

“We are not dealing with the original offences, charges that are a great deal more serious which would have you facing a custodial sentence in double figures.

“This is a serious charge and your behaviour was quite disgraceful - you should be ashamed and you could have no complaint if I sent you straight to prison today.”