Kavanaugh accuser Christine Blasey Ford to testify over sexual assault claim on Thursday

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh will also answer questions at the hearing

The university professor who has accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her will testify before the Senate on Thursday.

Christine Blasey Ford claims the conservative judge attacked her at a party 36 years ago when they were both high school students in Maryland.

Ms Ford went public with her allegation last week, resulting in one of the most contentious Supreme Court nomination processes in decades.

Donald Trump has openly questioned why she did not make a complaint to police at the time and described the federal appeals judge as a "fine man with an impeccable character".

Mr Kavanaugh, who called the allegation "completely false", has also agreed to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee at the hearing planned for 10am on Thursday.

However the committee has refused to subpoena witnesses including Mark Judge, who is said to have been present at the time of the attack.

"Despite actual threats to her safety and her life, Dr Ford believes it is important for senators to hear directly from her about the sexual assault committed against her," her lawyers Debra Katz, Lisa Banks and Michael Bromwich said in a statement.

"She has agreed to move forward with a hearing even though the committee has refused to subpoena Mark Judge.

"They have also refused to invite other witnesses who are essential for a fair hearing that arrives at the truth about the sexual assault."

Negotiations continue over whether Ms Ford will be questioned by the committee's Republican senators, who are all male, or by staff attorneys.

"Following Dr Ford's testimony, Judge Kavanaugh will appear again before the committee," said the committee in a statement.

Dr Ford has said that Mr Kavanaugh forced her into a room, drunkenly attempted to rape her and put his hand over her mouth when she started to scream.

The incident ended when a third person in the room toppled into them and she was able to escape, it is claimed.

A Democratic committee member, senator Mazie Hirono, said she wanted to hear from Mr Kavanaugh about the drinking and partying environment in high school.

Senator Hirono said Dr Ford had nothing to gain by coming forward. "I believe her," Ms Hirono told CNN. "There's credibility to her story."

The potentially explosive hearing, against a backdrop of the #MeToo movement fighting sexual harassment and assault, comes just weeks before congressional elections in November.

Confirmation of Mr Kavanaugh would strengthen conservative control of the Supreme Court.

Reuters