A FORMER Southampton teacher accused of sexual activity with a schoolgirl told a court he was kissed by her.

Peter Morse, 50, is standing trial over incidents said to have occurred in the summer of 2001, when the alleged victim was a teenager.

Giving evidence at Southampton Crown Court, he confirmed they shared a kiss on two occasions - but said she kissed him.

He denied once stripping down to his jockstrap, saying he had never owned one.

Asked if he ever engaged in sexual activity with the teenager, either at his home or hers, the former Bitterne Park School teacher replied: "Absolutely not."

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Morse went into the witness box shortly after being cleared of one of the charges against him.

He had been accused of kissing the schoolgirl as she prepared to get out of his car, but jurors were told the Crown Prosecution Service no longer wished to pursue the allegation.

Judge Nicholas Rowland directed the jury to return a not guilty verdict.

The court heard that Morse and the teenager shared a mutual interest and went to several events, with the defendant driving her to and from each venue.

Morse said one of their trips took place in October 2001.

He told the court: "She was getting out [of the car] when she leaned across and kissed me. I told her we couldn't do that and she got out."

Recalling another occasion he said they were sitting on a sofa at his house when she leaned forward and kissed him.

He added: "The kiss lasted 30 seconds, maybe more. I was quite surprised and then I stopped it. I think she was embarrassed."

Asked if he had any feelings for the teenager he replied: "I had no interest in her whatsoever."

Morse confirmed that they communicated via LinkedIn in 2014 and met at Portswood in 2017, when they spent more than three hours talking about film, music and work.

Morse confirmed he was a design technology teacher at Bitterne Park School in 2001.

He left in 2003 before quitting the profession altogether in 2011, and now worked as a headhunter for a firm of civil engineers.

Morse, of Providence Park in Southampton, still faces two counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child under the age of 18 while in a position of trust.

He denies the allegations and the trial continues.