A TEENAGER who took a part time job at an Ipswich car lot was asked for a cuddle by his employer, it was claimed yesterday (Wed).The boy told a jury at Ipswich Crown Court that he was very pleased when he got a job washing cars at a car dealership in Portman Road after answering an ad in a newsagent's window.

A TEENAGER who took a part time job at an Ipswich car lot was asked for a cuddle by his employer, it was claimed yesterday (Wed).

The boy told a jury at Ipswich Crown Court that he was very pleased when he got a job washing cars at a car dealership in Portman Road after answering an ad in a newsagent's window.

He claimed that his employer, 50-year-old Peter Coad had told him that he was a "touchy kind of person" and that if he didn't like that they wouldn't get on.

The boy claimed that Coad had called him "cuddly butt" and had asked him for a cuddle.

The boy claimed that Coad had pulled him forward and had sat him on his knee and had touched his backside over his trousers.

The boy said he pulled away but Coad had pulled him back and had said: "You are not too sure about me are you?"

The boy who worked for Coad for three days said that on another occasion he and Coad had been looking for a rat in a garage and Coad had allegedly touched his backside.

The boy also claimed that Coad had tapped him on the backside whilst telling him how pleased he was with the work he was doing.

The boy said he told his mother that Coad had touched his backside and this had prompted his father to visit the car lot to meet Coad.

The boy said he had enjoyed working at the car lot and although he didn't like Coad touching him he would have gone back to work if the police had not got in touch with him.

Cross-examined by defence counsel Naomi Perry the boy said that Coad may have put his hand on his hips to move him out of the way of a CCTV camera.

Coad, of Whitby Road, Ipswich, has denied two offences of indecent assault on the boy and one offence of indecent assault on another teenage boy who also had a part-time job at the car lot.

It has been alleged that Coad pulled down the second teenager's trousers and boxer shorts and had touched him indecently.

After his arrest Coad told police that there may have been some touching between him and the first boy but there had been nothing indecent about it.

Coad claimed that the second boy had made up the allegation after he sacked him for not working hard enough.

The trial continues today (Thur).