A former University of Gloucestershire student has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting an 18-year-old student at a freshers' party in Cheltenham.

Christopher Green put his head in his hands and wept with relief when the jury at Gloucester crown court returned their verdict yesterday.

It took the jury of eight women and four men just 25 minutes to reach their verdict.

Mr Green, 28, had been accused of sexually touching the female student at the University of Gloucestershire Francis Hall Close campus halls of residence in St Pauls Road, Cheltenham on September 13 last year.

Mr Green, whose mother sobbed with relief in the public gallery of Courtroom One, had to quit his landscape architecture course because of the allegation, the court was told.

During the trial Mr Green, of Elmsleigh Road, Weston Super Mare, took the witness stand and told his defence barrister Jenny Tallentire how his alleged victim had stroked his arm and put both legs on his lap.

"She told me that I'd love her flat as it was full of girls and they all went round in t-shirts and thongs," he said.

"On one occasion she stood up, pulled her leggings to one side and showed me the thong she was wearing."

Mr Green told the jury that the young student was being "bit flirty" with him.

He admitted that on one occasion he had prodded both of her buttocks with his forefingers but said that she was "in no way uncomfortable" with that.

"We were all just having a bit of fun and I had absolutely no idea that I had upset her," he told his barrister.

The court heard how the alleged victim had gone back to her room, changed into her pyjamas - a top and short shorts - before returning to the party.

"She put an arm around my waist and I patted her on the bottom when we said goodbye."

Mr Green denied the woman's allegation that he said "university girls want to be raped."

He also denied grabbing her bottom hard from behind on another occasion, as she had alleged.

"It was a harmless party, we were all a bit drunk and trying to have a good time," he said.

When he was found not guilty he was discharged from the court.

Read more: University of Gloucestershire student on trial for sexually assaulting 18-year-old fellow student