A WORKER accused of indecently assaulting two teenage boys has been cleared.

Zakariya Patel had denied touching the bottoms of the two boys who had bought food at the takeaway where he worked.

The jury took less than an hour to return verdicts of not guilty on two charges of indecent assault.

Patel had told the jury that the only time he touched the boys was when he put a hand on their shoulders and backs to move them away from a storeroom.

The two boys claimed that Patel had touched their bottoms as they helped unload a delivery van at Koolio's takeaway in Derby Street, Bolton on January 8 this year.

Patel, aged 25, of Sheringham Place, Bolton, had been on trial at Bolton Crown Court and had denied two charges alleging indecent assault.

Through an interpreter, Patel said he had been in the UK for two years two months and only usually served Asian customers because he could not speak much English.

He said the boys came into the shop with a friend but started misbehaving by jumping on tables and the serving counter.

One of the boys tried to get into the restricted area of the takeaway and eventually after they had eaten their food they were told to leave.