A CARE worker allegedly sexually attacked a young colleague on the bed of a dementia sufferer as the patient lay there “half naked”, a jury heard.

Burnley Crown Court was told how Filipino Benedict Sanchez, 37, was said to have groped the colleague and committed an indecent act on her as she tried to wash and dress the elderly resident at a home in East Lancashire.

Sanchez, whose wife worked the night shift at the same home, is alleged to have kissed the woman from behind leaving her neck marked, pressed himself up against her, and put his hand down her pants in the incident in June last year.

The alleged victim, who said she was scared, shocked and froze, claims the defendant had also asked her for a kiss and a hug and tried to kiss her properly as they earlier tended an aggressive male patient.

She broke down in tears as she told the jury of her alleged ordeal.

Sanchez, a father of two, denies her allegations and said nothing happened.

The defendant, then of Whalley Road, Clayton-le-Moors, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexual assault.

The woman told police she had brushed the defendant off when he had tried to kiss her properly, the court heard.

She said she and Sanchez went to the elderly woman’s room and she pushed him away when he “came on” to her again.

The alleged victim said she went to wash her hands and the defendant started to kiss her neck from behind, grabbed her hips and started rubbing himself against her.

She told the court she pushed him away and went back to care for the patient.

Sanchez then went up behind her and unzipped her trousers and she pushed him away, the woman claimed.

The woman claimed Sanchez then turned her round, put her on the bed, fondled her and committed a sex act.

The woman said of the patient: “She was lying there, half naked, next to me.”

She said she got the resident dressed, took the pensioner to the lounge and told a senior carer what had allegedly gone on.

Cross-examined by Richard Bennett, for Sanchez, the alleged victim said it was not true that nothing went on.

Mr Bennett asked: “Did you shout or try to get out?” She replied: “I didn’t do anything I froze.”

The barrister continued: “Why didn’t you run out of that room and cry for help?”

The woman replied: “I was scared and shocked.”

(Proceeding)