Washington, May 15 (IANS) The head of the International Monetary Fund has been charged with a criminal sexual assault and attempted rape, following allegations made by a hotel maid in New York, a media report said Sunday.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn, 62, was taken into custody on Saturday at the John F Kennedy International Airport over the allegations of a sexual assault on a maid at the Sofitel New York hotel near Manhattan's Times Square, Sky News TV channel reported Sunday.

A 32-year-old maid told authorities she was attacked when she went in to clean the room, the TV channel said.

The lawyer representing Strauss-Kahn, Benjamin Brafman, has said he "will plead not guilty" to the charges.

New York Police Department spokesman Paul Browne said the police had been called to the hotel shortly after the alleged incident. Strauss-Kahn had already left the hotel, leaving behind his mobile phone and other personal items.

"It looked like he got out of there in a hurry," the TV channel quoted Browne as saying.

Detectives found he was at the airport and contacted the Port Authority, who took Strauss-Kahn from the Air France flight.