A former university lecturer with a “dark side” sexually assaulted three young girls, it has been alleged.

Julian Myerscough, who taught law at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, had a "powerful sexual interest in very young girls" and used his intellectual strength to make them believe they couldn't refuse him or that something serious would happen to them if they disobeyed him, Ipswich Crown Court was told.

Matthew Jewell, prosecuting, described Myerscough as an "intellectually strong man" but said that although he had used his intellect to the advantage of his students, there was also a "dark side" to him.

The court heard Myerscough was convicted in 2010 and 2017 of possessing indecent images of children and was sentenced to terms of imprisonment.

Mr Jewel said that before he could be sentenced in 2017 Myerscough left the country and went to the Republic of Ireland before travelling to Romania.

He was brought back to the UK under a European Arrest Warrant in August 2018 and when a mobile phone in the property he brought back with him was examined it was found to contain 306 indecent images of children, including images of penetrative sex.

Mr Jewel said extensive internet search terms seeking out images of child sex abuse, which he claimed demonstrated Myerscough's "powerful sexual interest" in children - especially young girls - were also found on the phone.

Myerscough, 57, formerly of Lowestoft, has denied a string of sex offences relating to three girls under 13 between 2001 and 2010.

One of the alleged victims was as young as three or four at the time of some of the allegations.

The offences include two offences of rape, four offences of indecent assault and four of assault by penetration.

Opening the case to the jury, Mr Jewel claimed the case against Myerscough was "powerful and disturbing" and said his denial of a sexual interest in young girls was "provenly absurd".

Mr Jewel said one of the alleged victims claimed that Myerscough had taken naked photographs of her before sexually assaulting her.

Another claimed that when she tried to get away from Myerscough he said "the fun's just started" before picking her up and sexually assaulting her.

Another claimed that when she was blindfolded during a game of "Blind Man's Buff" Myerscough exposed his penis and got her to touch it.

The trial continues.