Father of two said his behaviour 'would have been acceptable in India'

her buttocks and bit and kissed her neck, leaving a rash

An Indian IT specialist who groped an actress at a Shrek theme park walked free after he claimed he thought it was the British way of introducing himself.

Srinivas Boreddy, 36, squeezed the victim's buttocks whilst pulling her towards his groin after she had agreed to a friendly hug at Shrek's Adventure at County Hall in London.

The father of two then leaned in to try and force a kiss on her and as she moved away he bit and kissed her neck.

Srinivas Boreddy, 36, pictured left and right, groped a woman at Shrek's Adventure at County Hall, and said it was an 'acceptable' greeting in India

This caused the woman to burst into tears at the family themed amusement park and she was left with a rash and scarring.

Camberwell Green Magistrates Court ordered Boreddy to perform 150 hours of unpaid work and to pay £375 in costs with just £50 in compensation to the victim.

He was informed of the decision by an interpreter as he speaks Telugu, a language used mainly in the south eastern Andhra Pradesh region of India.

Boreddy, of Barker Lane, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, admitted sexually assaulting the woman.

Prosecutor Edward Aydin told the court how Boreddy had tried to get on a bus-themed ride with his wife and two children.

As one child did not reach the required minimum height, Boreddy remained there while his wife and the other child went on the ride.

Boreddy then returned to the ride later alone in an act which Mr Aydin described as an act set to target the victim.

Mr Aydin said: 'All of a sudden, without any provocation, he has asked for a hug.

'During the course of the hug Mr Boreddy grabs both the victim's bottom cheeks.

'I felt no erection' she says in her statement but he could have had one as her coat was quite thick.'

Boreddy then kissed the woman on the neck after she turned her head away as he attempted to kiss her on the cheek.

'She says it caused a rash and some small irritation and scarring.

'She was extremely shocked and very violated. He should be ashamed of what he has done.'

Boreddy told police he did not think his behaviour was inappropriate in England and when asked if it would have been acceptable in India agreed that it wasn't.

The actress at the theme park, pictured, felt 'shocked and violated' by the experience

Pictured: The Shrek's Adventure at County Hall attraction in London (picture posed by models)

He said he thought she looked very good and thought they had been looking at each other and had made eye contact.

Probation officer Patrick Acres said Boreddy had been observing others in this country and thought a hug and kiss on the cheek was how English people seemed to greet each other.

The probation officer also told the court how Boreddy had felt that complainant had been staring at him in the build up to the hug.

Mr Acres said: 'He said 'I felt that I should introduce myself to her, bearing in mind that a hug and a kiss is how he thought we did this'.

'He was not aware that his hands were on her buttocks and it appears to me that it was very clumsy.'

Mr Acres put Boreddy's actions down to naivety in terms of British culture.

Denney Lau, defending, said Boreddy had not had a good nights sleep ever since.

Chairman of the bench Tim Cohen said the appropriate sentence for Boreddy was a community order.