A cashier who was pestered at work by his married male boss has won £20,000 damages for sexual harassment.

The cashier, referred to only as Mr A for legal reasons, claimed he had his bottom squeezed, was followed to the toilet and had his body touched on an almost daily basis.

He quit his job as senior cashier at a Brighton NCP car park last October after 12 years with the company.

The man told a Brighton employment tribunal he was called "gorgeous", "sweetheart", "babe" and "darling".

He said the line manager, with whom he shared a small office, brushed his hands and other body parts against him, making him feel uncomfortable.

On one occasion he was alleged to have banged on the toilet door and said: "Oh, you're in there."

Another time, it was claimed, he placed his hand on the cashier's computer mouse and suggested he "play with my mouse" instead.

Mr A asked him to stop his behaviour but nothing changed.

The manager admitted putting his arms around Mr A's shoulders and placing his hands on his waist. But a security guard at the car park described him as a "jolly type of chap who does put his hands on your waist or shoulders sometimes, but not from a sinister point of view."

He said: "I see him as the type who would kiss a lady on the cheek if he met her, like the French do."

The manager described himself as a "touchy" person.

Mr A made a complaint on October 12 but was himself suspended for his "aggression" after a "heated altercation" with a senior member of staff.

Mr A did not attend a meeting on October 28 because of illness, but instead resigned by letter. The tribunal upheld a claim of harassment and ordered NCP to pay £20,000 but turned down a complaint of unfair dismissal because Mr A had not attended the meeting.

In a report, tribunal chairman Ian Edwards said some of the actions may have been friendly but some were not. He added: "We are quite certain that this attention was unwelcome."