A support worker at a Suffolk care home for adults with learning difficulties locked herself in a staff toilet after she was sexually assaulted by a male colleague during a night shift, a court has heard.

Giving evidence the woman said she was sitting on a sofa in a staff room with Binoor Mohammed when she noticed he had indecently exposed himself.

She told a jury at Ipswich Crown Court that she "froze" and had then felt his hand on her leg, moving towards her thigh.

The woman said Mohammed had then squeezed her thigh and she had been worried he was going to touch her between her legs.

"I jumped up and locked myself in the staff toilet. I just wanted to get away," she said.

"I locked myself in with a key. I was sobbing," she added.

She stayed in the toilet for about 35 minutes and when she came out she sat in another room.

Mohammed, 47, of Tye Road, Ipswich, has denied three offences of sexually assaulting the woman and one of her colleagues.

Terence Woods, prosecuting, said the alleged offences happened when the women were alone in a staff room with Binoor during night shifts.

The first alleged victim had become aware of Mohammed stroking the inside of her lower leg and she had got up and sat on another chair.

She then became aware of him performing a sex act under a blanket that was partially covering him.

The woman hadn't reported the alleged incident at the time and had subsequently tried to avoid Mohammed.

The second woman had closed her eyes while watching a film in the staff room and allegedly felt Binoor rubbing her leg, said Mr Woods.

She felt uncomfortable and moved away and didn't report the incident to anyone at the time.

On another occasion she was in the staff room with Mohammed and she allegedly noticed he was indecently exposing himself.

She had then felt his hand on her leg passing over her knee towards the top of her thigh.

He had then allegedly squeezed her thigh while touching his genital area, said Mr Wood.

The first woman didn't complain about the sexual assault on her until her colleague complained of similar behaviour by Mohammed towards her.

During police interviews Mohammed denied the allegations and said he was shocked.

The trial continues.