A Romanian dish washer accused of spanking women on the bottom as he cycled past them on the street has appeared in court.
Constantin Barbutu, 20, is charged with 21 sexual assaults on 19 women over a six-month period.
Police in Brighton believe Mr Barbutu is responsible for at least 24 complaints of bottom slapping by women in the city between September last year and February this year.
He is accused of cycling up to the women and spanking them before riding away.
Romanian dish washer Constantin Barbutu (pictured), 20, is accused of spanking women on the bottom as he cycled past them on the street in Brighton. He is charged with 21 sexual assaults on 19 women over a six-month period
A Romanian translator explained the court proceedings to Mr Barbutu, who spoke only to confirm his name, address and that he understood the charges.
Andrew Walker for the CPS told Brighton Magistrates Court: ‘These are 21 incidents of sexual assault which involves the defendant approaching female members of the public and striking their bottoms before making off.’
Mr Walker asked for the case to be referred to the Crown Court due to the likely length and complexity of a trial.
‘Two victims have made identifications and all the victims will have to give evidence with the interpreter present. It has a complexity which goes beyond this court.
‘It is not a one-off incident. It is a whole series of incidents. Clearly, it is a serious matter,’ Mr Walker said.
Women across Brighton and Hove reported 24 incidents when they had been grabbed, spanked or had sexual gestures made towards them by a man riding a bicycle.
Sussex police said most of the reported incidents happened during the hours of darkness between September 2016 and February this year.
The incidents stretched from New Church Road in Hove to Madeira Drive in Kemptown, and up to Dyke Road Avenue in the north of the city.
Most of the offences happened from early evening through to 3am.
The court heard Constantin Barbutu, of Hove, has been in the UK for two years and has been working as a dish washer in Brighton for the last 12 months.
Magistrate David Watkins bailed him to Crown Court next month and ordered him to not to ride a bicycle and banned him from applying for any travel documents.
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