A MARRIED man who had sexual contact with a willing 15-year-old boy has won a cut in his jail term.

Rodney Barlow, 31, of Buckhurst Crescent, Walcot, was jailed for 18 months in May at Swindon Crown Court, after pleading guilty to two counts of indecent assault and one of a serious sexual assault.

London's Criminal Appeal Court yesterday concluded this was too long and cut it to 12 months, noting the teenager had been a willing party and was only just short of 16, the age of consent. But Mr Justice Stanley Burnton, sitting with Lord Justice Hooper and Mr Justice Grigson, did not amend the two year extended term also imposed on Barlow.

This means if the former Honda worker takes one step out of line during the two years after his release, he can be recalled to prison.

Although Barlow denied the offences when arrested, saying he found the prospect of homosexual acts "disgusting", he pleaded guilty on the basis that the sexual contact was consensual. He said the teenager had pestered him for sex, contending he was a "very promiscuous young man".

Mr Justice Stanley Burnton said Barlow had no previous convictions of a sexual nature.

Mike Pulsford, for Barlow, said his marriage had broken down as a result of the events.

The teenager was said to have been not only a willing party but also a young man of some considerable sexual experience.

Barlow, a father-of-two, told police he had engaged in full sex acts when he was drunk.

But he said the teenager had been pestering him for sex for some time and said afterwards he had felt dirty and ashamed of what he had done and was sorry for his actions.

He will have to register as a sex offender for 10 years. He was also banned from working with children.