THE trial of a Kurdish man accused of trying to rape a 17-year-old boy was adjourned after a key witness failed to turn up.

Soran Mohammed who has been granted asylum in the UK denies attempting to rape the teenager on July 27 last year.

A jury was sworn in yesterday at Swindon Crown Court, but was sent home after Judge John McNaught explained that an important witness had not shown up.

At an earlier hearing, the court was told the alleged incident happened after Mohammed, 34, invited the teenager to his town centre bed-sit for a drink around 10pm.

The court heard that the boy had been drinking, and fell asleep on the sofa.

However he claims he woke up to find his trousers had been removed, and Mohammed was trying to have sex with him.

Mohammad came to Britain from Kurdistan as an asylum seeker three or four years ago, and was given permanent residency.

He settled in Swindon, working at BMW.