An army diving instructor has denied attempting to rape a 21-year-old student after allegedly stalking her as she walked home after a night out in Ipswich.

Father-of-two Adam Bonner told a jury at Ipswich Crown Court he was “really drunk” after a night out with army colleagues and did not have a clear recollection of the evening.

However he claimed he remembered having a flirty exchange with the alleged victim followed by consensual kissing.

Bonner, 32, of Ipswich Close, Sutton Heath, Woodbridge, has denied attempting to rape the woman and an alternative charge of sexually assaulting her.

Andrew Thompson, prosecuting, has told the court the alleged victim had left the Vodka Rev bar in Dogs Head Street at 1.50am on October 10 and was walking home alone along Rope Walk when she was grabbed by a stranger.

“She was attacked with force and was touched and we say more would have happened by force if not for the intervention of police officers who were called by witnesses who heard the incident,”alleged Mr Thompson.

Cross-examined by Mr Thompson, Bonner who is based at Rock Barracks near Woodbridge denied a suggestion that he had “seen what he wanted and had gone for it but had picked the wrong woman because she had fought him off.”

Giving evidence Bonner’s wife Linda told the court she had been diagnosed with breast cancer a few weeks before the alleged attempted rape, and was waiting to hear if the cancer had spread.

She described Bonner as an “amazing” husband who adored their children and had been devastated at her cancer diagnosis.

Asked by defence counsel Hugh Vass if her husband had ever given her any indication that he had a double life as a sexual predator she said:” If I thought for a single second he was that kind of person I would have packed my bags and taken the children with me.”

The trial continues today.