A 32-year-old man has denied sexual assault and administering a substance with intent to commit a sexual offence.

Mohammed Hussain of Bluebell Close, Malvern denied both offences when he appeared before judge Nicholas Cole at Worcester Crown Court on Tuesday.

The offences both relate to the same adult female complainant who cannot be identified for legal reasons. Both offences are said to have occurred on June 24 this year.

The defendant is alleged by the prosecution to have intended that the complainant take the substance 'without her consent, intending thereby to stupefy or overpower her' to enable him to engage in sexual activity with her. The sexual assault itself is said by the prosecution to have involved him touching the complainant's breasts without her consent.

Hussain was represented at the hearing by Jason Aris. The prosecutor, Peter Cooper, appeared remotely over live link. The trial is expected to last between two and three days. The trial was placed in a warned list which means it could begin in the week commencing Monday, December 7 this year.

The defendant was granted conditional bail. He was placed on a daily electronically monitored curfew between 7pm and 7am.