A NURSE laughed as he indecently assaulted a woman in a lift at a Leigh old people's home just a day after starting work there, a court was told.

Saula Kusimo went on trial at Bolton Crown Court charged with two counts of indecent assault.

The second relates to an alleged attack on a 15-year-old on work experience six days after the first, the jury heard. In both cases Kusimo, 42, is said to have laughed loudly as he kissed the females and fondled one of their breasts. Kusimo denies both charges.

Tina Lonsdale, prosecuting, said Kusimo's behaviour had been "extraordinary".

The older alleged victim described her ordeal to the jury: "We both went into the lift together. I was talking to him and he kept saying 'Excuse me' as if he didn't understand. He started laughing and he put his arms around me. Then he started kissing my face saying 'You are a lovely girl'. I was speechless. I didn't know what to say. But as soon as he let go of my arm he started squeezing my breast."

She did not report the incident until Kusimo struck again, the court was told. But she rejected suggestions from Peter Cadwallader, defening, that she had exaggerated what had happened.

(Proceeding) Jurors heard that in his police interview Kusimo said he had done no more than put an arm around the woman and the 15-year-old girl.