A dentist accused of assaulting a teenager has been cleared at Bradford Crown Court.

Dr Muzzafar Zaman, 40, was alleged to have groped a teenage girl's chest while she was in his chair under the influence of gas and air.

But the jury decided he was not guilty of sexual assault.

The ten-day trial had been told Dr Zaman, who denied the charge, had phoned the girl and changed her appointment to a time when they would be alone in his surgery on High Street, Brighouse.

He was alleged to have told the girl, who was 16 at the time and cannot be identified for legal reasons, he wanted to try out a new technique and gave her the gas and air

But Dr Zaman of Central Park, Savile Park, Halifax, denied acting inappropriately, saying that if there was any touch of the chest it was purely accidental. He told police they were only alone in the surgery because his secretary had gone home sick.

He told the jury he could not remember what time he had asked the girl to arrive but would not have intentionally told her 5.20pm, as the prosecution claimed, as it was 20 minutes after the surgery had closed. He said he could have told her the wrong time by accident or she could have made a mistake.

Dr Zaman said he did not touch the girl inappropriately and rejected prosecution claims he had set up the appointment for a time when he knew they would be alone .

"I have been a dentist for 16 years and I have never been tempted to see any patients in anything other than a professional relationship," he said during cross-examination.

Prosecutor Richard Newbury asked why he let her in and gave her gas and air when she turned up at the locked surgery if there was nobody else there. "I might be naive but it never occurred to me," Dr Zaman said. "I had gloves on; she had a bib on; the thought never occurred to me.

"Call me soft but I find it difficult to say to patients: 'Just go.' I feel I'm in an enviable position; that they have made all the effort to come and see me and I think as a professional I should do my best to see them."

Dr Zaman has admitted he breached General Dental Council guidelines by giving the girl gas and air without a third person present and without gaining written consent and could face having his licence revoked.

Outside the court Dr Zaman said he was relieved the case was over and was pleased that he had been acquitted.