A ROMANIAN who molested a woman was only doing what was acceptable in his own country, York Crown Court heard.

Pickering-based Adrian Croitoru, 26, told her: “I want you.”

He tried to kiss her, and grabbed her bottom as she walked away from him, said Catherine Duffy, prosecuting.

She ran into the restaurant where she worked.

“She was shaking and crying,” said Ms Duffy.

The woman told work colleagues what had happened and spent the rest of her shift worrying that Croitoru would be waiting for her when she set off to go home.

Following his arrest, Croitoru told police he had thought she was pretty and “wanted her to know this”, said Ms Duffy.

He said the way he had touched the woman's bottom was acceptable in Romania.

He agreed with police it was not acceptable in Britain, said Ms Duffy.

Croitoru, of Burgate, Pickering, pleaded guilty to sexual assault. He said he had “slapped” not “grabbed” the woman’s bottom.

“She reminded me of my ex partner,” he said. “I am very, very frightened.”

Deputy circuit judge Tim Clayson told him: “In Romania, this sort of behaviour that you carried out might be acceptable, as you understand it.

“It is not acceptable here.

“What you did as far she was concerned was seriously upset her.”

But Croitoru was remorseful and a probation officer believed he was unlikely to repeat the offence.

The judge made an 18-month community order with 40 days’ rehabilitative activities and 60 hours’ unpaid work.

He also made a restraining order, banning Croitoru from going near the woman or into the street where she works in a restaurant for the next five years.

Croitoru will also be on the sex offenders’ register for five years.

Ms Duffy told York Crown Court the woman had been outside the restaurant for a break during her shift on December 15.

Croitoru approached and asked her for directions, which she gave him. He started a conversation, saying he wanted to make friends and her phone number. She declined.

He then said “I want you,” pulled her face towards him as he was trying to kiss her and she pulled away.

Terrified she again gave him directions but he didn’t leave. She told him her break was over and walked back into the restaurant.

As she did so she felt his hand on her bottom.

Her work colleagues told her they had noticed a strange man in the restaurant and on its CCTV she recognised the defendant. Police were contacted and he was arrested.

Croitoru, who represented himself, said he had only been in the UK a matter of months and he was very sorry for what had happened.