A CYCLIST who terrorised young women by slapping their bottoms while riding his bike has been spared a prison sentence.

Constantin Barbutu went on a campaign of slapping women late at night then riding away into the darkness in Brighton while clad in a hoodie.

The 22-year-old caused one victim to break her collarbone while trying to get away from him, and said she had a hand mark over her upper thigh for a week after she was attacked.

But Barbutu, who works washing dishes, avoided prison because he is “severely impaired intellectually”.

He has lived in the country for the past three years after moving from Romania, and speaks little English. Victims all said the incidents left them feeling vulnerable on the streets at night.

Piers Reed, prosecuting at Hove Crown Court, said the Romanian admitted sexual assaults on 11 different women.

The first incident, in September 2016, was a single attack which Mr Reed said was a test to see what reaction he would get.

All of the attacks took place within a short distance of where Barbutu either lived or worked, he said.

“This was a campaign of sexual assaults on women ending when he was arrested. The usual pattern was late night or early morning on single female.

“His first victim was on the phone to her friend when she felt a squeeze on her right buttock. She shouted at him and he rode off.

“Not long after, she felt another squeeze and saw him cycling round her with a smirk on his face. She was terrified. The pattern is he has identifies sole, individual females, always with a bike, always with a hoodie up."

Victim impact statements were read in court, one woman said: “I felt really angry. I was convinced it must be someone I knew. I was livid when I found out it was a stranger. I will always be terrified cycling at night.”

Another woman said: “I always felt safe in Brighton, now I feel vulnerable running at night. I’m more aware of what could happen. I had a hand mark on my upper thigh for about a week after.”

Another victim said she was now very aware of how vulnerable she was jogging alone at night, while a fifth victim said: “His behaviour was menacing and I was alone in a dark place where nobody could hear me scream.”

Defending Barbutu, Richard Elliott said the Romanian was cripplingly shy. “I asked him why he did this and I received no response."

He told his girlfriend he did not know what he was thinking, and told his parents he had made a mistake.

Judge David Rennie told Barbutu his assessment by two psychologists was the only reason he was not going straight to prison.

He said: “This conduct, over a period of four weeks, was essentially out of character. These women were complete strangers, you caused fear and anguish, they were going about their business and fully entitled to be left alone.”

For ten of the attacks Barbutu was given nine-months in prison, and one year for the most serious offence. These were suspended for two years. He was ordered to do 40 hours of unpaid work.