A SPECIAL needs teaching assistant indecently assaulted five young schoolgirls as he helped them with their schoolwork, a court heard.

Erik Seddon allegedly carried out all the assaults on girls aged between nine and 10 in lessons while a teacher was standing only yards away.

But Seddon denied touching any of the girls in an inappropriate way and said that the girls often hugged him as they arrived at school.

The alleged offences only came to light when a boy in the same class overheard the girls talking about Seddon between themselves and he informed a teacher.

Seddon had already been warned by the headteacher and another member of staff after he had been seen hugging and touching the girls.

The girls claimed that Seddon would kneel down beside them in lessons with one hand on the desk and his other under the desk.

He then allegedly indecently touched them and only stopped when the girls moved away or told him they did not need any help.

When he was arrested Seddon told police he had not indecently assaulted any of the girls and said they must have made up the allegations.

He said to help the girls he had to kneel down beside them and he would put a hand on the back of the seat.

Seddon, aged 57, of Westley Drive, Roe Green, Worsley, appeared at Bolton Crown Court to stand trial.

He denied five counts of indecent assault on five girls at a primary school in Bolton on dates between December 2001 and April 2002.

Prosecutor Susan Klonin said that Seddon was a special needs assistant who was employed specifically to look after a particular child.

He was liked by both pupils and staff but Miss Klonin said that Seddon was too friendly with the girl pupils.

The offences allegedly happened when Seddon knelt down next to the girls to help them with their lessons and the teacher was busy elsewhere in the class.

One of the girls said the alleged touching made her feel horrible and she would find an excuse to move away or say she did not need any help.

The girls told no one about what had happened because they liked Seddon. If they forgot their snack money Seddon would give them money.

(Proceeding)

A SPECIAL needs teaching assistant indecently assaulted five young schoolgirls as he helped them with their schoolwork, a court heard.

Erik Seddon allegedly carried out all the assaults on girls aged between nine and 10 in lessons while a teacher stood only yards away.

But Seddon denied touching any of the girls in an inappropriate way and said that the girls often hugged him as they arrived at school.

The alleged offences only came to light when a boy in the same class overheard the girls talking about Seddon between themselves and he informed a teacher.

Seddon had already been warned by the headteacher and another member of staff after he had been seen hugging and touching the girls.

The girls claimed that Seddon would kneel down beside them in lessons with one hand on the desk and his other under the desk.

He then allegedly indecently touched them and only stopped when the girls moved away or told him they did not need any help.

When he was arrested Seddon told police he had not indecently assaulted any of the girls and said they must have made up the allegations.

He said to help the girls he had to kneel down beside them and he would put a hand on the back of the seat.

Seddon, aged 57, of Westley Drive, Roe Green, Worsley, appeared at Bolton Crown Court to stand trial.

He denied five counts of indecent assault on five girls at a primary school in Bolton on dates between December 2001 and April 2002.

Prosecutor Susan Klonin said that Seddon was a special needs assistant who was employed specifically to look after a particular child. He was well liked by both pupils and staff but Miss Klonin said that Seddon was too friendly with the girl pupils.

The offences allegedly happened when Seddon knelt down next to the girls to help them with their lessons and the teacher was busy elsewhere in the class.

One of the girls said the alleged touching made her feel horrible and she would find an excuse to move away or say she did not need any help.

The girls told no one about what had happened because they liked Seddon.

If they forgot their snack money Seddon would give them money.