A FORMER Worcester student has been convicted of a sex attack on a woman.

Ex University of Worcester student Sam Ringer (pictured) was convicted of sexual assault at Hereford Crown Court yesterday after he groped the woman while she waited for a taxi.

She told him: “What are you doing? We only met two hours ago.” However, the 20-year-old was cleared of raping a second woman in her Worcester flat on November 14, 2017 and of sexually assaulting a third woman in Worcester on January 16 last year.

After more than six hours spent deliberating, the jury failed to reach verdicts on two further counts, one of rape and another involving an alleged penetrative assault.

These offences were said by the prosecution to have been committed against a fourth city woman, also on January 16 last year. The Crown Prosecution Service now has seven days to decide whether to seek a retrial on these two counts although the court heard that June 8 next year was the earliest any such hearing could take place.

Shortly before 2pm yesterday, the jury of seven women and five men convicted him of count five on the indictment - a sexual assault in Ilkeston, Derbyshire on July 12 last year when he put his hand up a woman’s top, kissed her and put his hands on her bum.

At the same time the jury cleared Ringer of counts one and two: a further rape and sexual assault in Worcester, before resuming deliberations.

When the jury was called back in shortly before 3pm the panel was asked by Judge Daniel Pearce-Higgins QC if it had been able to deliver unanimous or majority verdicts on the remaining two counts (a rape and sexual assault).

The foreman indicated that there was no prospect of that happening, telling the judge: "We believe we're stuck."

As a result the judge discharged the jury from any further consideration of the case. They had been deliberating for more than six hours, first retiring to consider verdicts at 12.52pm on Thursday. Throughout the trial Ringer, the grandson of a vicar, insisted all sexual contact was consensual and said some of his accusers had flirted with him beforehand. He also claimed there had been a 'connection' between him and the women who made the allegations. Ringer said of the rape allegation of which he was cleared: "You could tell it was both people enjoying it."

He accepted that he had a reputation as 'probably a bit of a player' but also said he was a Christian who regularly attended church. Ringer, a second team basketball player at the university, was living at St John's Campus, Worcester at the time the allegations were made. He must sign the Sex Offender Register as a result of his conviction for the sexual assault in Ilkeston where he now lives with his parents. The assault involved him touching the victim's genitals, bottom and breast. Ringer had described her as 'pretty flirty' and said: "I knew I hadn't done anything legally wrong."

He tried to suggest she brought the sexual element into their conversation.

But Andrew Jackson, prosecuting, told Ringer in cross-examination: "In reality it was you chancing your arm."

Ringer had offered her a lift but she had declined, choosing to wait for a taxi instead and did not respond to his messages.

She gave evidence against him at court, declining the offer of a screen.