A WOMAN who was indecently assaulted by her stepfather when she was a teenager has slammed a court's decision not to send him to prison.

Michelle Lord, who runs the Plane Tree Hotel in Burnley, was assaulted by Keith Lewis three times at his home in Sandford-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, more than 20 years ago.

She hoped he would be sent to prison after pleading guilty to indecent assault and attempted indecent assault by Oxford magistrates in November.

But Lewis, now 63, was given a three-year community rehabilitation order at Oxford Crown Court last week, on the condition that he takes part in the Thames Valley Sex Offenders' Programme.

His name will also be included on the Sex Offenders' Register for five years.

Miss Lord, 37, who was 13 at the time of the first offence, waived her right to anonymity as a victim of indecent assault after she heard the sentence.

She said: "I'm disgusted. They should have locked him up and thrown away the key for what he did to me. He's denied it for years and my mother believed him.

"I've had absolutely no support throughout this from any of my family, apart from my sister. It's been hard to come to terms with but I've managed to build a happy life. It's made me more determined to fight for justice."

Miss Lord said the first offence happened a year after her mother married Lewis 25 years ago. Lewis moved with her mother to Sandford-on-Thames from Banbury, where he had lived for 30 years.

Michelle lived with her father in Burnley but visited their home each Christmas and during school holidays.

She said she came forward and spoke out about the charge in case there were other victims.

She said: "I'm appealing for any other victims to contact the police. Men like this should not be allowed to walk free. There's no need for people to be scared. They need to speak out."

But Miss Lord's mother Christine said she feared for her husband's safety because of reprisal attacks and believes he has already suffered a 25-year sentence.

Mrs Lewis said: "Keith made a big mistake. He's paid for it. He's admitted it. I'm not saying what he did was right and I will never forgive him for it. But he's served his sentence of 25 years of feeling guilty."

Mrs Lewis told friends she was distraught after her daughter appealed for other victims to come forward.

She said: "I feel terribly sorry for Keith that people just may think that he would do anything like that to anyone else. I'm frightened that they will turn against him. I'm frightened in every way possible."