A man who was allegedly indecently and sexually assaulted by the housefather of a former Norfolk school went to police almost 40 years later after being told about another case involving the same man, a court has heard.

The complainant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was a pupil at the Sheringham Court School when he was allegedly indecently assaulted by Kenneth Wells.

Ipswich Crown Court heard he was just 13 when the indecent assaults were said to have occurred, between November 1975 and November 1976 when Wells, 78, was in a 'position of trust' at the boarding school.

Wells, 78, who lost his job after being charged and sentenced in relation to two counts of gross indecency against another pupil, is also said to have committed a serious sexual assault against the boy when he was 13 or 14.

The jury of six men and six women were told that after losing his job Wells became an HGV lorry driver and visited the complainant at his home address during the school holidays telling the boy's mother he was one of his 'star pupils'.

After asking if the boy could show him around the area, he is said to have taken him to a hotel and seriously sexually assaulted him.

Opening the prosecution case yesterday Andrew Thompson said the complainant contacted police in June 2014 following widespread media coverage after Wells was convicted at Norwich Crown Court of three counts of indecent assault against a boy at the same Sheringham school.

Mr Thompson said the complainant had never spoken in detail about what happened to him but contacted the police after the news of Wells's conviction 'hit him like a sledgehammer'.

Giving evidence the complainant, now an adult, said he had not told his current partner full details about the alleged abuse because he felt 'too ashamed'.

After being told about the case he said he bought a paper and called the police, asking to speak to someone involved in the investigation.

He said: 'I've always felt so dirty and worthless and wanted someone who understood the situation.'

During his evidence the complainant, who at times broke down, described how he was 'crying'and 'shaking like a leaf' during the abuse which has left him 'traumatised' and resulted in one attempted suicide attempt.

Wells, of Bracken Dale, Leicester, has denied two counts of indecent assault and one of serious sexual assault.

The trial continues.