Tigger man controversy
 

Tigger man faces new allegation


Mr Chartrand's lawyer said the new claims were bogus
A Walt Disney World worker in the United States who was cleared of molesting a teenage girl while dressed up as Tigger has been suspended again.
Michael Chartrand, 36, is accused of shoving two people employed as photographers at the Florida park's Animal Kingdom while dressed as Goofy.

The two say he came up and shoved them each in the chest, police said.

But a lawyer for Mr Chartrand, who is English by birth, said he had just been "goofing around because he was Goofy."

Mr Chartrand could face misdemeanour charges for the alleged shoving.

'Walking bull's-eye'

Earlier this year, Disney suspended Mr Chartrand after a 13-year-old accused him of fondling her.

A jury acquitted him and Disney let him return to work in August.

You're supposed to fool around, be animated

Jeffrey Kaufman, defence lawyer

Mr Chartrand's lawyer in the Tigger case, Jeffrey Kaufman, told the Orlando Sentinel that Disney saw his client as a liability and that the new claims were bogus.

He also said that the two Kodak employees had shoved Mr Chartrand back as part of routine among employees designed to entertain customers.

"You're supposed to fool around, be animated," Mr Kauffman said.

"I knew for Michael it would be tough for him to go back. I told him he would be a walking bull's-eye."

A Disney spokeswoman confirmed that Mr Chartrand had been suspended two weeks ago.