A MAN accused of sexually assaulting a nurse at the John Radcliffe Hospital after bombarding her with lewd comments claims there was no touching and it was simply 'banter'.

Graham Warner, of Goldsmiths Lane, Wallingford, denies the single count of sexual assault on a woman at the Oxford hospital on December 7 last year.

He is alleged to have made a series of lewd remarks to a nurse at the hospital at about 9am including telling her 'I would not kick you out of bed, I would tie you to it' before sexually assaulting her in a corridor.

As his trial at Oxford Crown Court continued yesterday the jury of five women and seven men heard a police interview carried out between the 57-year old and PC Barry Duplock.

He told police during the interview on December 8 that their conversation had been entirely innocent.

Referring to the allegation he said he would tie her to a bed he said: "I just said I would not kick you out of bed. I would not say that.

"Its just banter."

He added: "The corridor was full of people and I banged into one person because I didn't know where she was taking me, I was just following her behind.

"I never touched her at all, we did have a little banter but I never touched her."

The court also heard how Warner suffers from panic attacks and had been diagnosed with anxiety and depression.

Prosecutors maintain that Warner made a series of sexual remarks before following her into the corridor and setting upon her.

Taking to the witness box earlier in the trial the alleged victim told jurors that at first she 'laughed off' the comments.

She added"As the conversation went on he kept making references and sexual comments and bringing the conversation back to sex.

"I remember he said that he missed being in a relationship and he missed sexual contact. He said he would not kick me out of bed, he would tie me to it."

Later, the court heard, Warner followed her and grabbed her from behind on two occasions while in a hospital corridor. He was arrested the following day.

The trial continues.