A former schoolteacher on trial accused of sex offences against a child has denied kissing her.

Peter Morse told a jury he ‘pushed’ the alleged victim away from him after she ‘initiated’ a kiss.

The 51-year-old former Bitterne Park School teacher strongly denied any sexual involvement with the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

But prosecutor Rose Burns said his actions were ‘all about having sexual activity with a child’.

Morse, 51, of Providence Park, Southampton, denies two charges of engaging in sexual activity while in a position of trust.

Southampton Crown Court heard about one incident where Morse allegedly pushed the girl against a door, tried to kiss her and attempted to engage her sexual acts.

He also kissed her on a separate occasion, the court heard.

Giving evidence, Morse said “nothing of significance” happened when they were alone.

He said: “I absolutely did not coerce her into performing sex acts.”

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He denied he was sexually attracted to her.

Morse said: “She was… next to me, and she turned and kissed me. I pushed her away and said we can’t kiss.

“As she did it her arms were around me, but there wasn’t the touching of anything intimate.

“She was embarrassed and flustered.”

But Rose Burns said Morse was ‘leading the victim on’ and she was responding to his lead.

Morse told jurors she had created a fantasy.

He said: “I did not lead her on because there was no physical exchange between us.“

He described the allegations as a “fantasy she created in her head”.

The trial continues.