LONDON - OXFORD University's first female professor of poetry denied on Tuesday running a sexual harrassment smear campaign against her main rival, as she explained why she resigned days after winning the job.

Ruth Padel stood down from the prestigious post Monday after admitting sending emails to two journalists, pointing out already-known allegations levelled 27 years ago against Nobel Prize-winning poet Derek Walcott.

THE post is voted for by Oxford graduates and requires the holder amongst other things to deliver three public lectures a year - plus an oration in Latin every other year at Oxford's honorary degree ceremony. An Oxford University spokesman said it understood Prof Padel's decision, adding: 'This has been a difficult chapter for all those concerned and a period of reflection may now be in order.' ... more

'I have acted throughout in complete good faith, but I can, of course, see that people can misconstrue that,' she said at a literary festival in Wales.

Admitting that she had been 'naive and silly' to send the emails, she said: 'I do want to apologise to him, but I cannot apologise for things I have not done and I have not done the campaign. I apologise for anything I have done that can be misconstrued as having been against him,' added Prof Padel, the first woman to win the job - whose past holders include WH Auden and Seamus Heaney - since its creation in 1708.

St Lucia-born Walcott pulled out of the race for the job after anonymous letters were sent to more than 100 professors at Oxford University reportedly detailing an allegation made by a former student against him in 1982.

The 79-year-old - who has not so far commented on Prof Padel's resignation - told reporters at the time that he had no wish to be part of a contest that had 'degenerated into a low and degrading attempt at character assassination'.

On May 16, Prof Padel, a great-great granddaughter of Charles Darwin, was elected Professor of Poetry following a vote by Oxford graduates and academic staff, beating rival Indian poet Arvind Mehrotra. Prof Padel admitted on Monday that she had told journalists of the allegation against Mr Walcott after a student expressed concern, prompting newspaper coverage of the issue, but insisted she knew nothing about the letter campaign.

The row has prompted widespread concern in literary circles, with a number of Prof Padel's allies urging her to quit last week to avoid further scandal.

'The professorship is a very serious thing. This is dirty tricks and character assassination,' philosopher AC Grayling told the Hay-on-Wye literary festival on Sunday, according to the Daily Telegraph newspaper.

'There was no way that the Oxford professorship should be run on this business of sexual harassment; it should be run on the merits of the poetry,' added Mr Grayling who originally was one of Prof Padel's supporters. -- AFP