A FORMER city university student accused of raping or sexually assaulting four women, two on the same night, said he was 'a Christian' and 'a bit of a player'.

Sam Ringer, an ex sports and exercise science student at the University of Worcester, appeared in the witness box to deny raping or sexually assaulting three women in Worcester and sexually assaulting a fourth in Ilkeston, Derbyshire. The 20-year-old denies two rapes, two sexual assaults and one sexual assault by penetration at his ongoing trial at Hereford Crown Court.

The prosecution say Ringer sexually assaulted one woman before raping a second in Worcester on January 16 last year. Ringer, previously of Ankerdine halls, St John's campus, had walked both women home after a night out.

He told the jury he was the grandson of a vicar and 'brought up a Christian', attending church while at university. He has had to leave university after the allegations came to light and is now living with his parents in Ilkeston. He also denies raping a woman in a Worcester flat on November 14, 2017 after a night out in Bushwackers, telling the jury: "She asked me to get into bed so I did."

In a previous statement he described it as 'perfectly consensual sex' and said she had been 'aroused'. He denied locking the door of the room, telling police she 'locked it herself'. Ringer said of the complainants: "It feels like they're all trying to get something back on me." The former university second team basketball player had been dumped by his girlfriend on the day before the alleged attacks on January 16. Police asked about his reputation at the university and he said: "Probably a bit of a player." However, he added: "Being a Christian I knew it wasn't right."

He denied one of the complainants punched him after the alleged sexual assault on January 16. In Ringer's police interviews he said his former male friends asked him 'why do you keep lying to us?' after they learned about the allegations. "It was upsetting, them believing I did something I didn't do," he told police.

He told officers he said to former friends: "I can't believe you guys are accusing me me of this. It's absolutely outrageous."

The trial continues.