The former world champion has appeared in a South Korean court, reading a statement asserting that "there is no truth that I stole the camera".

"I appeared as a representative of the Japanese team," he said. 

"There is no way that I would do something stupid as committing a theft."

The 25-year-old initially admitted to taking the camera having been confronted by police with closed circuit television, which is said to prove that Tomita stole the camera.

The surveillance footage is likely to be used as evidence in the trial by the prosecution who maintain that Tomita is guilty of the incident.

Following the incident at the Asian Games, Tomita was expelled from the Japanese swimming team and suspended by the country's swimming federation for 18 months, additionally paying a fine of KRW₩1,000,000 (£540/$980/€745).

Tomita claimed gold in the men's 200m breaststroke at the 2010 World Short-Course Championships ©Getty Images



Tomita later retracted his confession, claiming that the camera had been placed in his bag by an unidentified person, with his lawyer stating that the crime was carried out by an individual with a vendetta against the Japanese team.

The Japanese swimmer has won 200 metres gold at both the World Short-Course Championships and the Asian Games in 2010.

His hearing is continuing in Incheon.

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