A BARRISTER has told a jury a young former boxer only had a “platonic relationship” with a 15-year-old girl.

Clinton Townsend, a former member of the Oxford Boxing Academy, is on trial at Oxford Crown Court accused of having sex with two young teenagers.

Yesterday, on the fifth day of his trial, the 20-year-old decided not to give evidence and defence barrister Peter Du Feu summed up his case.

Earlier in the trial, the defendant admitted repeatedly breaching a court order banning him from contacting girls under the age of 18.

He had already pleaded guilty to three breaches of the same order and perverting the course of justice after he asked one girl to withdraw her witness statement.

But Townsend, denies five counts of engaging in sexual activity with two girls and two of common assault.

Mr Du Feu said Townsend, of Field Assarts, near Leafield, and the girl, who it is alleged he had sex with three times and assaulted twice, had “crushes” on each other but nothing sexual happened.

The trial continues.