By Phil Coleman

Last updated at 12:13, Wednesday, 25 April 2012

A 25-year-old man who has already admitted trying to rob a woman on a Carlisle street told police officers he did nothing sexual to her.

Related: Carlisle man accused of sex attack after Halloween party

At the city’s crown court yesterday, a jury heard a transcript of the interview given to detectives by Michael John Yerkess, of Port Road, Carlisle, after he was arrested for the alleged sexual assault in October.

The prosecution has outlined how the incident happened as the 21-year-old woman was getting into her car after a Halloween party.

She told police she was assaulted as she was trying to unlock her car and while she was on the phone to her boyfriend.

A police officer said to the defendant: “On arrest, you said it wasn’t sexual.”

Yerkess said that was something he said because of what he had read in the newspaper.

The officer asked: “Did you do anything sexual?” The defendant’s response was: “No, no. I swear.”

He said his only intention had been to get the woman’s bag. Told what the woman had said, he said he had just leaned over her.

Earlier in his interview, the defendant told officers he had been walking around Carlisle that night looking for his mates, having read on Facebook that they were going out for Halloween. But he did not find them.

Explaining his encounter with the woman, he said he had simply seen an opportunity to get her handbag.

The trial continues.

First published at 11:28, Wednesday, 25 April 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk