cross-examination the act was consensual.

The 52-year-old man, whose name cannot be revealed to protect the identity of the alleged victim, claimed his wife followed him into the bathroom on August 18 last year where the alleged assault took place.

He is charged with serious sexual assault on his wife and causing her bodily harm.

Before a seven-man, five-woman Supreme Court jury the accused claimed a conversation between the couple about financial matters turned to sex and he suggested making love in the bathroom. He went to wash his hands and face and his wife followed him inside.

"She knew exactly what she was coming into the bathroom for,'' he told the court.

Last week the woman's nephew testified he kicked open the bathroom door after hearing a gasp for breath and found the defendant lying on top of his wife attempting to choke her. But the defendant said he was fondling his wife's breasts, not choking her and that she was not gasping for breath.

He added the door was not locked but ajar and on seeing the nephew he told him to leave.

"When she saw (her nephew) she started to cry. I asked her what she was crying for and she did not reply. I started to help her to get dressed,'' the defendant said. But when he asked his wife to tell the nephew to leave, she made no reply.

In her testimony last week, the alleged victim claimed her husband was infrequently at home and she suspected him of having an affair. She also accused him of failing to contribute to the rent. But the accused claimed the real source of friction between them was a grandson his wife had invited to live with them but who did not contribute to household expenses.

The accused also denied he unbuttoned her dress, pulled her to the floor or put his hand in her vagina.

Yesterday he claimed had his wife not wanted to have sex, was uncomfortable or in pain, she would have told him adding he never wanted to harm her.

"To this day I feel no animosity toward her,'' he said. "I never did and I never will.

"That's my wife. I would not want to see her in pain.'' The jury is expected to reach a verdict today after Crown Counsel Mr. Melvin Douglas and defence lawyer Mr. Archibald Warner complete their summing up.

Puisne Judge Mr. Justice Meerabux is presiding.