with sexually assaulting a girl who was under 16 at the time of the alleged incident.

The man, who testifed yesterday, steadfastly denied having any sexual contact with the girl on November 5, 1995.

Earlier, she told the court that she went for a drive with the accused and a girlfriend and ended up in Rocky Hill Park, St. George's.

After a brief conversation, she claims the man climbed on top of her and forced her to have sexual intercourse.

As a consequence, she contracted pubic lice, became depressed and even tried to kill herself.

Meanwhile, the man testified that the girl's version of the events of that night were faulty because she was the one who initiated any romantic overtures.

He said that while the complainant's girlfriend slept in the back seat of the car, the girl told him that she had something to tell him so he stopped the car at Rocky Hill Park.

They got out of the car, he said, and he sat on the bonnet and the young girl stood in front of him.

"She began to ask me questions,'' he recalled. "Like whether I thought she was good looking and she began to touch me. I pushed her away.

"I was kind of upset that she came onto me and that is why I pushed her away and sat on the embankment. She came over and played with my hair. She was still coming on to me and asked me if I wanted to have sex.

"At that point I got upset...I got into my car and took her home.'' The man said he never touched the complainant in a sexual manner but he admitted that a doctor's examination in February 1996 showed that he was infested with pubic lice eggs.

Crown counsel Charlene Scott said that the complainant, who is now 16, had her sexual integrity compromised as a result of the alleged incident.

"There is no consent in this case,'' she told the jury. "A person under the age of 16 cannot give consent to sex.'' To support her contention that the accused committed the assault against the complainant, Ms Scott pointed out that the complainant found herself infested with pubic lice a few days after the alleged incident.

The man's lawyer, Elizabeth Christopher, meanwhile, said that medical evidence was not conclusive on the point about whether or not there had been any penetration at the time of the alleged incident.

Furthermore, she said that the complainant admitted that she had a crush on the accused which may go to explain why she wanted to keep the matter quiet and waited close to three months before coming forward.

Chief Justice Austin Ward will sum up the evidence and give directions on the law this morning and the jury is expected to being its deliberations by early afternoon.