Sergeant denies sending sex texts

Miss Fletcher has been in the Army for 10 years

An army sergeant accused of sending sexually explicit text messages to a lesbian soldier has told a tribunal he did not send them.

The senior NCO was giving evidence at a tribunal in Leeds which is hearing a discrimination case brought by Lance Bombardier Kerry Fletcher.

Ms Fletcher, 31, claims she was picked on because of her sexuality.

She said she was humiliated at the Army stables in North Yorkshire where she worked after she ignored the texts.

'Enough was enough'

Miss Fletcher, who lives in Birmingham but is originally from Sheffield, claimed one of the messages said: "Look, I might be able to convert you. You don't know what you are missing."

But, the male sergeant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the tribunal on Wednesday he did not send any message like this to her.

He said: "I have been protesting my innocence for the past three years.

"I still remain innocent and I still didn't do it."

He said Miss Fletcher had often been late for duties and insubordinate towards him.

He said after a period of leave he decided "enough was enough" and decided to enforce discipline more severely.

Asked how he felt when he heard about the allegations Miss Fletcher had made against him, he said: "I had 20 years of exemplary service.

"I had never had anything like this happen to me. I was absolutely fuming."