Sir Paul McCartney worker 'faced masseur sex attack'

An ex-employee of Sir Paul McCartney was sexually assaulted by a masseur just before the singer was due to have a massage from him, a court has heard.

Southwark Crown Court was told Daniel Pytlarz, 34, touched the woman intimately in an upmarket salon in St John's Wood, north-west London.

Mr Pytlarz, of St John's Wood, faces 14 charges of sexual assault and seven counts of assault by penetration.

He denies the offences, which allegedly happened between 2009 and 2011.

The woman said: "What stuck clearly in my mind is this man took advantage of me, being naked on a massage table, in a vulnerable situation."

The former employee said she was left "panicked, distressed and traumatised" by the ordeal.

The court heard she reported it to the police but did not initially proceed any further because she was worried about being identified if the Beatle's name appeared in the press.

Eleanor Laws QC, defending Pytlarz, suggested the woman had been put under pressure not to give evidence in court because Sir Paul did not want his name in the newspapers.

Ms Laws said: "You said you felt under great pressure that your employer knew about these proceedings and said he did not want his name reported in the press."

The court has previously heard police approached her to make a statement after other women came forward.

The barrister also suggested the woman had invented the claim because she was worried about getting into trouble with Sir Paul for accepting a free massage only offered because of her famous boss.

But the woman said: "He was extremely supportive the whole way through."

The married Polish masseur is accused of touching 18 women, one as young as 17.

One of Sir Paul's daughters recommended the masseur to the former employee, the court was told.

The trial continues.