A man who sexually assaulted a teenager in the Chinese takeaway where he worked told the victim not to tell his co-worker wife as she would 'kill' him.

Ziheng Zhao, 48, assaulted the teen, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, at a restaurant in Fakenham.

Norwich Crown Court heard the victim had been in the restaurant when Zhao told her she was "beautiful".

Stephen Spence, prosecuting, said Zhao later approached the victim from behind and clenched her in a bear hug.

Mr Spence said: "She couldn't pull away and froze, not expecting what had happened."

Zhao then put his hands up the front of her body and "touched her breasts and squeezed them".

The victim pulled the defendant's hands away.

Following the incident, which happened on June 7, 2019, Zhao told the victim not to tell his wife, who worked at the restaurant, as she would "kill me".

Before Zhao was sentenced, the victim read out an impact statement in which she asked why the defendant felt the need to put his hands on her.

She said: "I'm angry this is something that hasn't and won't go away from me.

"No-one should ever feel this way" adding that it was "unacceptable".

Zhao, of Clover Way, Fakenham, appeared at court on Monday (February 7) having previously admitted sexual assault.

Judge Andrew Shaw imposed a two-year community order made up of a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement to address his sexual offending.

He was also ordered to do 100 hours unpaid work.

Judge Shaw said while it was not the most serious sexual assault seen by the courts it was for the victim both "devastating" and "life-changing".

Lynne Shirley, mitigating, said the defendant had "no history of committing any sexual offences or any offences".

She said while there was little that could be said about the facts, other than this was touching over clothing, and added there was clear evidence of remorse.

Zhao was also put on the sex offenders register for five years.