Mall Santa accused of pinching elf's buttocks

HANOVER, Mass., Nov. 26 (UPI) -- A 62-year-old man playing Santa at a Massachusetts mall was arrested on allegations he groped the buttocks of an 18-year-old woman working as a Christmas elf.

The Hanover Police Department said the elf told officers the Santa Claus, Herbert Jones, had commented to her that he wished "you were a few years older and I was younger" and later pinched her behind as she walked past his Santa chair at the Hanover Mall, The Smoking Gun website reported Tuesday.

The teenager said she reported the incident to her manager, who had her meet with Jones. Jones denied the pinching.

A female coworker said she saw Jones "reach up in the area of [the victim's] behind," but she was "unsure if his hand actually made contact."

Police said Jones denied the allegations of touching the teenager's buttocks.

Jones told police his earlier comment about ages meant "he wished he was young again so he could make different life choices and meant nothing else by it." He said the young woman "took the conversation out of context."

Jones was arrested Saturday on a charge of indecent assault battery. He was freed on $1,000 bail.