A MASSEUR molested a frightened student in a room above a chip shop while his wife served lunches downstairs, a jury was told.

And Burnley Crown Court heard that after the girl's mother told Joan Downey what her husband had done he was seen walking down the road covered in curry.

Robert Downey, 60, was said to have told the teenager, then in the midst of A-level examinations, that he would massage her stomach to calm her nerves.

He then squeezed her breasts and bottom after taking down her towel as she lay nearly naked on a treatment table at the clinic above Bridleway Chip Shop, Waterfoot.

The 18-year-old also claimed the defendant, whose wife was serving up lunches in the chip shop below, touched her intimately and believed he was about to commit a sex act on her.

She told Burnley Crown Court she was "upset, shocked and dazed," by Downey's behaviour and couldn't believe he had done it. The teenager was said to have been distraught and sobbing when she later turned up at the home of a friend.

The girl's mother claimed that after she told the defendant's wife Joan what Downey had done, she saw him walking down the road covered in curry. The mother told the court when she confronted the masseur he told her his behaviour had been "a moment's madness."

Downey, of Booth Road, Waterfoot, denies three counts of indecent assault, last June 13. His barrister has branded the alleged victim an attention seeker, claiming she set Downey up to avoid resitting an A-level exam that afternoon.

Giving evidence, the student, said she had had full body massages before at Downey's business above the chippy and had felt comfortable.

The girl claimed after the alleged assaults, she felt nervous and scared. Downey told her to look at him and apologised.

She told the court: "I didn't want to. I kind of looked straight past him but he came up right close to my face. I tried to keep calm. He said: "We are still friends, aren't we ?"

The girl said she went and got dressed and Downey asked her to give him a hug, but she just "stood there rigid." She said he then followed her downstairs and was "chit chatting as if nothing had happened."

The girl denied she had made up the allegations to get attention.

The girl's mother told how she went to the chip shop after her daughter said what had happened. She said Mrs Downey told her: "I will sort this out."

She said Downey's wife told her he had admitted what he had done.

The mother told the court she asked Downey why he had done it and he replied it was a moment's madness. She went on:" He was shaking. He turned to the sink and started to cry."

(Proceeding)