A care worker is standing trial over accusations he had sexual activity with a mentally disabled woman.

Kevin Harris, 35, is accused of touching the woman while he was working at care home Beech Lodge in Horsham.

Harris, who had been working at the home for four years, appeared at Lewes Crown Court for a trial where he denied the charges.

The court heard the incident allegedly took place on August 10, 2016, and was witnessed by a colleague.

Prosecuting, Peter Clement, told the court Harris had assisted his colleague Winnie Beruchan while she cleaned the disabled woman.

Male carers were not allowed to be left alone with female residents in their room and they were not allowed to perform intimate care.

But after retrieving a mattress protector Miss Beruchan came back into the resident’s room to find Harris assaulting the woman, the court heard.

Mr Clement said as soon as the defendant saw Miss Beruchan, he stopped.

He added: “Neither said anything to each other and you shall hear Miss Beruchan did not at the time report what she had seen on duty to the supervising nurse.

“But later that day she did.”

Harris was later arrested.

The court heard in a police interview Harris denied touching the woman and that nothing untoward had happened.

He suggested Miss Beruchan had been mistaken by the way he was supporting the woman’s body as she was washing her.

Harris, of Littlehaven Lane, Horsham, wearing a black suit, white shirt and spectacles, pleaded not guilty to two counts of a care worker engaging in sexual activity with a mentally disordered female.

The trial continues.

Beech Lodge in Clemsfold, Horsham was rated good by the Care and Quality Commission (CQC) on its last inspection in July 2017.

It provides accommodation and nursing care for up to 40 people.