A CARER accused of having sex with a male patient at a care home has admitted panicking and deleting messages from him after the police became involved.

Giving evidence during her trial at Ipswich Crown Court, 64-year-old Christine Marsh denied deleting the messages because she'd sent the alleged victim inappropriate or sexual messages.

During her first day in the witness box on Thursday Marsh also denied telling the alleged victim to delete messages on his phone.

Marsh, of Queen Elizabeth Way, Colchester has denied eight offences of sexual activity with a person with a mental disorder over a period of eight months.

The court has heard that Marsh was suspended from her job at the home after a colleague saw a scantily dressed picture of her on the man’s phone.

Marc Brown, prosecuting, said the victim was an adult male.

He lived in accommodation at a care home where he received round the clock support from carers, including Marsh, said Mr Brown.

He claimed that a photograph of Marsh lying on the alleged victim’s bed in her underwear was discovered when one of her colleagues was helping the man set up a new smartwatch.

Marsh was suspended after the matter was reported to senior staff.

When the man’s phone was examined messages from Marsh were allegedly found on it.

The man told police that after her suspension Marsh had told him to get rid of a box and a duvet from his room and he took officers to where he had hidden them in bushes in the grounds of the care home, said Mr Brown.

The court heard that following her arrest Marsh denied any sexual contact with the alleged victim and denied being the person in the picture on his phone.

Mr Brown said the alleged victim told police that sex between him and Marsh had taken place on nine occasions, and it had been consensual.

Mr Brown claimed that the sexual activity had continued after Marsh was released on bail and said her alleged behaviour was “a gross breach of trust”.

The trial continues.