A paramedic broke down as she told a jury how she was sexually assaulted in the back of an ambulance.

She said Ian Vickers put his hand between her legs and made an obscene comment as she tried to help him.

A judge at Hove Crown Court adjourned the hearing to give the ambulance worker a chance to recover her composure.

He had earlier been forced to discharge one of the jurors when she became distressed after listening to details of the attack last year.

The paramedic and a female colleague were both sexually assaulted by Vickers, the court heard.

The women, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were called to an incident in Marlborough Place, Brighton, on June 10.

They arrived to find Vickers, of Pier Road, Littlehampton, slumped against a wall with a gash between his eyes, apparently drunk. He was put in the back of the ambulance where his wounds were cleaned.

The first paramedic told the jury: "I was cleaning his forehead in the ambulance when I felt his hand touch my genitals. I shouted Oi' and took a step back. I have never had anyone do this before and I was shocked but tried to ignore it had happened.

"I carried on cleaning his wound but kept more of a distance between me and him. He was intoxicated and saying things to both of us."

On the way to hospital the paramedic became concerned his injuries were more serious than had first been thought, the court heard.

Matthew MacDonagh, prosecuting, said: "She asked her colleague to stop the ambulance so she could ensure he had not suffered a neck or spinal injury. By necessity, she had to stand close to examine him and he once again grabbed her groin area and repeated the sexual suggestions."

The defendant allegedly tried to grope the first paramedic's breasts as she lent over him but she had managed to avoid him.

Mr MacDonagh said Vickers was taken to accident and emergency at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton. He said while Vickers was being assessed by medical staff he lent over and allegedly grabbed the second paramedic's bottom.

Vickers, 51, denies three charges of sexually assaulting the paramedics.

The court heard Vickers discharged himself from hospital and was not arrested until September. He told police he could not remember much about what had happened because he was confused as a result of the blow on the head and the amount of alcohol he had consumed.