Former Fox FM DJ Phil Simmons spoke of his relief after being cleared of rubbing ice cubes on a teenage girl's breasts.

The 33-year-old radio presenter was found not guilty of indecently assaulting two women on March 27 at The Grapes pub in Yarnton.

Witney magistrates were told earlier that Mr Simmons rubbed ice into the chest of the girl, now 18, before indecently assaulting another.

Several people were putting ice cubes down each others' tops, a common practice in the pub, the court heard.

After being cleared of the offences, Mr Simmons, who is no longer employed by the Oxford-based station, said: "I am delighted. I've never doubted my innocence.

"It's just a shame my family and I have been hurt by all of this. There is no winner.

"In the past six months a lot of people have gone through a lot of hurt. This has wrecked my career.

"It is not the sort of industry where you can walk up to somebody and say 'Can I have a job?'

"I just want to get my life back."

He told magistrates the only thing he regretted that night was kissing the teenager because he had a girlfriend at the time.

Mr Simmons, of Stockcross, near Newbury, Berkshire, lost his job at the commercial station after the allegations emerged. He was released from his contract on July 31 this year.

At the time of the alleged incident, he was broadcasting an early morning Saturday show and had just been given a new daily slot which began the day before his arrest. He told the court: "I had actually landed a full-time position at the station. I was exceptionally proud of that. It was something I had worked for all my life."

However, his contract included a get-out clause if he brought the station into disrepute and Mr Simmons is currently unemployed.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.