Delivery man 'touched widow's nipple'

A WIDOW was sexually assaulted by a 'meals on wheels' deliver man, a court heard today.

The 65-year-old woman said the man who was of Mediterranean appearance pinned her against the door and squeezed her nipple two times while saying: "nice".

She said the man, who spoke poor English, held her hand and kissed her on the cheek before she ushered him out of her Kesgrave bungalow.

"When he held my hand and kissed me I thought maybe it was his culture, maybe he was trying to be nice. But when he squeezed my nipple I realised it was something more sinister," she said.

Essam Ali, 23, of Ranelagh Road, Ipswich has denied two charges of indecent assault, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Jonathan Seeley prosecuting, said the woman, who was in "poor health" and whose husband had recently died had been expecting her meals on wheels when there was a knock at her door.

When she answered the door on July 27, last year, the defendant was standing there with her meal rather than the usual deliveryman.

Mr Seeley said Ali "almost pinned her to a child gate" which separated her hallway from the lounge and was used to prevent her two dogs getting out.

"When she went to take the meal he handed it to her then got hold of her left nipple and squeezed it," said Mr Seeley.

The woman, who was dressed in a thick summer dress told police: "I was a little bit surprised and shocked and wondered what was happening." She said that after the incident Ali left through the front door, picked up two pints of milk from her doorstep and handed them to her.

She said: "I thought I do not believe this is happening to me."

She said she was eating her meal when her son rang and advised her to call the police.

Ali, who speaks Arabic, told police he had been helping the usual meals on wheels delivery man who he had met the previous day. He said he had taken a meal to the woman's address but denied touching the woman indecently.

The trial continues.