A Suffolk support worker had a sexual relationship with a mentally ill man in her care and told him to keep it a secret, it has been alleged.

Naomi Richards was sacked after the alleged victim showed one of her colleagues inappropriate messages from her on his phone, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Matthew Sorel-Cameron, prosecuting, claimed that Richards sexually touched the man, who was in his 30s, while she was working as a support worker in the supported accommodation in Bury St Edmunds where he was living.

Richards, 33, of St Edmunds Road, Stowmarket, has denied engaging in sexual activity with a mentally ill man in her care between May and June 2019 while she was a support worker in 2019.

She has also denied a second charge of inciting the alleged victim to engage in sexual activity.

The court heard that after the messages on the alleged victim’s phone were discovered Richards was suspended and then dismissed after an internal investigation.

The matter was reported to the police and in a recorded interview played to the court the alleged victim claimed she had climbed on top of him while they were watching a film.

He claimed she had rubbed him all over his body and had allegedly exposed her breasts.

He also said she had lifted his top up, but he had pulled it down because he “wasn’t having any of it”.

Mr Sorel-Cameron said in text messages exchanged between Richards and the alleged victim they had described themselves as boyfriend and girlfriend and spoke of their love for each other.

She had also allegedly said in one text that she had “enjoyed every minute of what they had done downstairs” and asked him if he had enjoyed kissing her.

She had also allegedly told him to keep their relationship a secret.

When Richards spoke to police she denied touching the alleged victim sexually and said she had been “naive and stupid” to exchange messages with him.

The trial continues.