US actor Ansel Elgort has denied claims that he sexually assaulted a 17 year-old girl in 2014.

The 26 year-old, best-known for appearing in Baby Driver, The Fault in Our Stars and Divergent, responded to the allegations in a statement.

Addressing his ten million followers on Instagram, he said: “I was distressed to see the social media posts about me that have been circulating in the past 24 hours.

“I cannot claim to understand Gabby's feelings but her description of events is simply not what happened. I have never and would never assault anyone.”

A Twitter user named Gabby, who did not reveal her last name, had accused Elgort of sexual assaulting her and said she has spoken about it now in order to ‘heal’. 

She claimed the pair had first began messaging shortly after her 17th birthday.

He was 20 years-old at the time and has described their relationship in New York as being a ‘brief, legal and entirely consensual’.

Elgort revealed they had a bad break-up and he ‘stopped responding to her’.

He added: “I stopped responding to her, which is an immature and cruel thing to do to someone.

“I know this belated apology does not absolve me of my unacceptable behaviour when I disappeared.

“As I look back at my attitude, I am disgusted and deeply ashamed of the way I acted. I am truly sorry. I know I must continue to reflect, learn, and work to grow in empathy.”