A man accused of sexually assaulting three schoolgirls had around 4,000 indecent images of children on his computer equipment when he was arrested, it has been alleged.

Geoffrey Lewis allegedly touched the girls on their breasts and inside their underwear and took a picture of one of them in a shower without her knowledge, Ipswich Crown Court was told.

Following his arrest in 2017 police seized electronic devices belonging to Lewis and when they were analysed they were found to contain 94 indecent images of children in the most serious level A category, 118 in category B and 3,757 in the least serious level C category, Andrew Thompson, prosecuting, said.

Lewis, 51, formerly of School Lane, Waldringfield, has denied four offences of sexual assault of a child under 13 and one offence of sexual activity with a child.

The offences are alleged to have been committed over four years between 2013 and 2017.

Lewis, now of Briton Way, Wymondham, Norfolk, has also denied three offences of making indecent images of children, possessing an indecent image of a child and taking an indecent image of a child over a 15-year period between 2002 and 2017.

It is alleged that Lewis told one of the girls, who was 14, that she was “beautiful” and had put his hand inside her underwear.

He had also allegedly touched her breasts while she was playing a computer game and on another occasion he’d allegedly touched her bottom and between her legs over her clothing while appearing to film what he was doing.

Mr Thompson said an indecent image found on Lewis’s phone appeared to be a naked picture of the girl in the shower which had been taken without her knowledge when she was aged between 11 and 13.

He said Lewis had also sexually assaulted an 11-year-old girl by trying to put his hand in her underwear.

He had later allegedly apologised and told her he would get into serious trouble if she told anyone.

The court heard that following his arrest Lewis denied sexually assaulting the three alleged victims.

He told police that he was addicted to adult porn and denied deliberately downloading indecent images of children.

The trial continues.