Cain struggling to fend off claims

US presidential contender Herman Cain’s attempts to put a sexual harassment scandal to rest were set back as a witness disputed the candidate’s claim that he had never met one of his accusers.

The account of Victor Jay Zuckerman, a former boyfriend of the accuser, challenged the credibility of Mr Cain, a former pizza executive who has been unexpectedly running at the top of the polls in the race for the Republican presidential nomination.