A MAN accused of assaulting his former girlfriend told a court yesterday that the alleged attacks simply did not happen.

Gary Dalziell told a jury at Teesside Crown Court he knew nothing about April Akhtar's allegation that he assaulted her and smashed her window.

And he could not understand why she had gone to the police and made the allegations.

Mr Dalziell said: "All I can think is she just wants me locked up out of the way."

Mr Dalziell, 26, of Marton Burn Road, Middlesbrough, is charged with harassment, two offences of assault causing actual bodily harm and witness intimidation. He denies the charges.

Miss Akhtar has told the court she was assaulted by Mr Dalziell in June and July last year, followed by further assaults in February this year.

Mr Dalziell said that when Miss Akhtar's window was broken by somebody else, he went round to fix it. And he had seen her with a black eye but she had told him it was none of his business.

The case continues.