An ambulance man on a 999 call kissed a 64-year-old woman as she recovered from a diabetic coma, a court heard.

David Tranah, 46, pressed his lips hard against those of patient Mary Simpkins, according to his assistant Jill Wakefield, who told how she witnessed the alleged sex attack.

Mrs Wakefield had responded to the 999 call with Tranah on September 19 last year.

Both were working for Sussex Ambulance Service.

Mrs Wakefield told how she walked into Mrs Simpkins' lounge to find Tranah, who was meant to be checking the patient's blood sugar levels, intimately kissing her on the lips.

Lewes Crown Court heard yesterday how Tranah, an ambulance technician, asked Mrs Wakefield to get blood testing equipment from their vehicle, which was parked outside Mrs Simpkins' flat in Old Orchard Road, Eastbourne.

Mrs Simpkins had suffered a hypoglycaemic episode and paramedic Geoff Baker had already given her life-saving glucose when the ambulance crew arrived at about 5pm.

Henrietta Paget, prosecuting, said: "Mrs Simpkins had fallen into a hypoglycaemic state.

"She was diabetic and her body's blood sugar levels had fallen dangerously low. She was in and out of a coma while recovering.

"Tranah and Mrs Wakefield agreed to stay with her.

"Tranah said he wanted to check Mrs Simpkins' blood sugar level and wanted some 'blood sticks' from their vehicle.

"He asked Mrs Wakefield to go and fetch his bag.

"She had a problem with the way the ambulance was parked and was away a few minutes.

"She returned to see Tranah on the floor, kneeling in front of Mrs Simpkins and kissing her repeatedly on the lips."

Mrs Wakefield, responsible for transporting patients, gave evidence in her green ambulance uniform as she told the court she had had a fairly good view of what happened.

She later admitted she had been unable to see Tranah's lips actually touch those of Mrs Simpkins.

Mrs Wakefield is not medically trained but it was her job to support Tranah, of Coldharbour Close, Crowborough.

She said that on their arrival, Mrs Simpkins had her eyes closed and her chin on her chest.

Mrs Wakefield said: "I was outside for a little while because I had parked in front of the driveway of a chiropractor.

"I was away for four or five minutes, no longer.

"A friend or carer was in the bottom flat as I came in because Tranah had sent her down to get some sugar water.

"Upstairs, Mary was still in her chair and Tranah was kneeling.

"He was lying on Mary's lap and kissing her - it was like a side view.

"His whole body was lying on the front of her.

"He was intimately kissing Mary - at one point she opened her eyes and looked at me.

"He was pressing hard against her lips and moving his head around on her face.

"She was not responding to the kiss.

"There was not any expression, she just opened her eyes and looked at me."

Mrs Wakefield, known at the time by her maiden name, Hopgood, said she "froze" in the doorway but Tranah noticed her and she carried on as normal before reporting the attack the next day.

She said: "I was worried. I did not know what to say. I felt sick at what I had seen."

Tranah, who denies a charge of indecent assault, told police he had been checking the elderly woman's eyes with his pen torch and the whole incident had been a misunderstanding.

Sarah Forshaw, defending, said as she cross-examined Mrs Wakefield: "You could not actually see his lips could you?"

Mrs Wakefield said: "I could not see his lips because they were on Mary's, his face was against Mary's. I could not see his face but it was against hers. I could not see his nose or face."

When pressed on how she knew there was contact between the ambulance man and Mrs Simpkins, she said: "I know what it's like when someone is kissing someone else. His face was so close to Mary."

Mrs Simpkins died recently.

The case continues.