A supermarket worker raped one woman and sexually assaulted another after grabbing them on the streets of Bradford as they walked to work, a jury heard.

Rehees Ali, 27, raped the shop assistant in Valley Road, saying he had a knife and was going to kill her, weeks after seizing and groping an office worker in Midland Road, Manningham, it is alleged.

Ali worked at Morrisons, Thornbury, Bradford, on the night shift, finishing at 6am, prosecutor Andrew Kershaw told Bradford Crown Court yesterday.

Ali, a married man with two children, of Priestman Street, Manningham, denies sexual assault on August 18 last year and rape on November 13.

Mr Kershaw said the first alleged victim was walking from Bradford Interchange to work at 6.50am when Ali blocked her path in his black Volkswagen Golf on Snowden Street.

He followed her to near the junction with Thorncliffe Road, grabbed her shoulders and pushed her against a stone wall, the jury was told.

He sexually assaulted her before running back to his car, Mr Kershaw said, leaving her in tears with scratch marks to her body.

The court was told Ali struck again on November 13 when he grabbed and raped a woman shop worker at 6.20am.

Mr Kershaw said she was walking on Valley Road on a dark and rainy morning when Ali followed, seized hold of her and put his hand over her mouth.

“His first words were that he had a knife and was going to kill her,” Mr Kershaw said.

He took her behind some bushes and raped her, it is alleged.

Ali was arrested three days later and told police in a statement he had a consensual sexual encounter with the second woman.

He answered “no comment” to questions about both alleged attacks.

The trial continues.