The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word CARESSED
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
C
A
R
E
S
S
E
D
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "fondled" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case fondled = caressed.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does CARESSED mean?
CARESSED verb- To touch or kiss lovingly; to fondle.
- To affect as if with a caress.