Tigger in the dock

A girl of 13 has accused a Disney worker dressed as Tigger of fondling her breast as they posed for photos.

'I didn't know what to do. I didn't know what to say,' the alleged victim said during the first day of Michael Chartrand's trial.

The 36-year-old Briton is accused of molesting the teenager when she was at Disney World's Magic Kingdom in Florida with her mother.

But defence lawyer Jeffrey Kaufman, who also works as a Disney character part-time, told the court the costume's bulky paws meant that Chartrand did not know where he was placing his hands.

He called for the costume to be brought to court so that jurors could try it on - a move Disney has tried to block to protect Tigger's innocent image for children. It suggested dyeing it black or removing its ears but Mr Kaufman refused to let the costume be altered to 'look demonic'.

William Jay, prosecuting, said: 'Chartrand knew where his paws were. He abused his job to steal the innocence of a child.'

Since his arrest, other women have claimed Chartrand groped them. He faces 15 years in prison if convicted of battery and molestation.