A former film studies student accused of sexually assaulting three women while they slept has denied raping any one and insisted one of the incidents never happened at all.

Connor Yaxley, 30, had been studying film studies at the University of Suffolk, based at East Coast College in Great Yarmouth, when he was accused of attacks on the three women.

East Coast College, Great YarmouthEast Coast College, Great Yarmouth (Image: Newsquest) Norwich Crown Court has heard all three women - who cannot be named for legal reasons - were asleep at the time of the alleged offences.

Yaxley, of Sandown Road, Yarmouth, has gone on trial having denied four counts of rape and a sexual assault against one woman, between December 2017 and December 2019 - and two counts of rape  against a second woman - between April 2018 and August 2020.

He has also denied one offence of sexual assault against a third woman in August 2020.

Norwich Crown CourtNorwich Crown Court (Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest)

Giving evidence on Friday (August 23), Yaxley told defence barrister Ed Renvoize, he had not committed any offences against the women.

Yaxley was asked by Mr Renvoize whether he had raped the first complainant but replied: "No".

Mr Renvoize asked the defendant whether when he was having sex with the first complainant he believed she was "up for it" and he said "yes".

Asked whether she had indicated if she was not consenting and Yaxley replied "no".

Yaxley was also asked by his barrister whether,  "to the best of your knowledge", he had sex with her while she was asleep.

He said: "No".

Mr Renvoize asked Yaxley whether, as far as he was concerned, was "each and every occasion when you had sex with her consensual?"

Yaxley said: "Yes".

The jury heard Yaxley tell Mr Renvoize one of the occasions he was alleged to have raped the second woman "didn't happen".

Mr Renvoize asked him about another occasion when she was asleep.

He said: "Had you had sex with her when she was asleep?" but Yaxley replied: "No".

The trial continues.