A married man on trial for allegedly having sex with a 14-year-old girl said he couldn't understand why she claimed they had a sexual relationship, a court heard.

The defendant, a British national who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded not guilty in Supreme Court to having unlawful carnal knowledge with a girl aged 14 on July 24, July 29 and August 7 last year. He is represented by Elizabeth Christopher.

In court yesterday, the jury heard an emotional and tearful taped interview conducted by Det. Con. Dion Burrows with the defendant on August 13 last year.

On the tape, the defendant said he did not need a lawyer and didn't know he had been arrested for unlawful carnal knowledge.

He thought he was just being arrested for his inappropriate relationship with the girl.

Throughout the tape, the court heard the defendant deny numerous times that he had sex with the girl, who also cannot be named for legal reasons.

The court heard the accused was in Bermuda on a temporary work visa. On the tape, he said he and his wife planned to leave the Island once the permits were up.

The defendant said he had been around teenaged girls before the incident and had no problems in the past.

"The second I saw that girl, I knew I was going to be in trouble", he said on the tape.

He said they spent hours talking during the first weeks they met and e-mailed back and forth while she was away.

He said in an e-mail, he told her he would have to wait until she was 18 before having sex with her.

The fact that it was the defendant's e-mail address was never disputed because the address was his name at hotmail.com

The defendant said on the taped interview that he became more attracted to her the more they communicated, but knew from the beginning the communication wasn't appropriate.

"At the time it felt like something. I was living in fantasy la la land in a little bubble," he said on the tape.

The defendant admitted spending time with her alone talking and kissing on various occasions during the summer.

He explained the first time they met during the summer, they spent an hour and a half on the beach just talking and he kissed her on the cheek.

During the taped interview, Det. Con. Burrows suggested the pair had "passionately kissed" but the defendant denied the suggestion.

However, he agreed the other three times they met, they kissed passionately, hugged, held each other and talked. He said he did not have sex with her or perform oral sex on her on July 24, July 29 or August 7 of last year.

The defendant said on the tape: "I don't understand why she's saying I've done this. I have not done what I am being accused of.

"I really don't believe she would deliberately try to get me in trouble. I care for her so much and I'd like to know she's allright."

The trial continues before Puisne Judge Charles-Etta Simmons.