A ROYAL Air Force officer charged with the attempted murder of a woman has elected to face trial by jury,

Tim Barry, of Mill View, Cuxham, Oxfordshire, appeared at Oxford Crown Court yesterday facing the single count of attempted murder.

The 29-year old pleaded not guilty before circuit judge Roger Chapple.

The charge relates to an incident which is alleged to have taken place on January 14 this year at an address at the small Oxfordshire village in which he was living.

A 38-year old woman, identified in court yesterday as a squadron leader at RAF Benson, suffered neck injuries inside the property.

She was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital and was later discharged.

At the crown court yesterday Barry appeared smartly dressed and showed no emotion as he entered his plea and denied his role in the incident.

A number of relatives and colleagues from RAF Benson were also in attendance and packed out the public gallery for the two-hour hearing.

Barry's trial was adjourned to a later date and he was bailed with a number of conditions attached including not to enter Oxfordshire except for appointments to see his legal team.

He must also obey an overnight curfew and spend each night at his parent's home at Barrow upon Humber, Yorkshire.

His defence team, led by Howard Godfrey QC, successfully varied his bail conditions to remove a reporting restriction to regularly check in at a nearby police station.

His trial will take place at the same court on July 2 and is expected to last between four and five days.