A MAN accused of battering his ex-mistress in a savage assault after she dumped him has denied the assault.

Inoos Chukoury, 59, of Old Reading Road, Chineham, also said he was not Elisabeth Colliard's lover - despite the prosecution showing the jury romantic cards he had sent the victim.

One of the cards, which played the tune "Jingle Bells", included a note saying: "Dear Liz, birds will fly east soon, from your lover."

Chukoury, a retired psychiatric nurse, admitted his handwriting was on the card, and that the couple, who had known each other for 21 years, had shared cuddles and kisses.

However, he said their relationship was not sexual and that Miss Colliard, 44, had not told him she was leaving him for another man.

The married father-of-three also denied going to her Gordon Close home at 10am on September 26 last year, under the pretext of bringing her a frozen fish, and hitting her on the head.

Instead, he said, he had been at home until after 10am, when he had gone to the bank and then to visit his wife, who was working at Homefields House, at Basingstoke hospital.

He added that Miss Colliard had been behaving strangely the day before the attack, and had also become a heavy drinker in the previous months.

Miss Colliard received 22 stitches to three wounds following the attack.

On a recording of the 999 call made to police just after 10am on September 26, Miss Colliard said: "I have just been beaten up in my own home."

When asked who had done this to her, she said: "It was Mr Chukoury."

Chukoury denies a charge of wounding with intent.

The case continues.