Company Director Pavel Grushin, 26, who attended a £26,500-a year private Mayfair college boasted about his looks to police and urged officers to admire his Instagram account.
This “feeling of self-importance” was criticised by a district judge, who convicted Grushin, a University of Cambridge graduate in Entrepreneurial Studies of common assault and attempted sexual assault.
Croydon Magistrates Court heard Grushin, of Mersey Court, Samuel Gray Gardens, Kingston-upon-Thames was a guest at the private event on December 12, last year.
He was spotted by the victim, a married 33 year-old project management university graduate, loitering on an upper landing at 11pm.
“He was leaning over the staircase bannister for balance, he looked to be very drunk and unsteady and I could hear him mumbling,” she told the court.
The woman entered a lift with Grushin and his two male companions. “He very quickly walked towards me and tried to corner me, with his arms raised and using his body so I couldn’t get around him.
“His eyes were very glazed over and he seemed to be enjoying himself and I was immediately very frightened by his demeanour and expression.
“His motive seemed sexual. I was afraid for my safety.
“He followed me out of the lift and grabbed my right wrist very, very tightly and pulled me in his direction, back towards the lift.
“He said: ‘Come on,’ a few times and I just kept saying: ’No,’ loudly, firmly and very clearly.
“To escape, I kept walking backwards and his mouth was puckered as if leaning in for a kiss and I placed my hand on his chest to push him away as he leaned in three times to kiss me.
“I firmly pushed with all my body strength and he stumbled back and stopped.
“Afterwards I burst into tears and there was a big red mark on my wrist, like a Chinese burn.”
Venture capitalist Grushin had begun his night out at a Pall Mall club and ended it at members-only Tramp, near Piccadilly, insisting he limited himself to two glasses of champagne and two glasses of wine.
After being arrested at home over a month later, wearing just his boxer shorts, he told police he had “social status” and had met “many” women.
When officers asked if he thought the victim was attracted to him he replied: “She could have been. Look at me.”
Describing himself as “very successful” Grushin urged the officers to check his Instagram account, where he could be seen “hanging out with cool people.”
He told the trial: “I absolutely, categorically did not touch her,” but contradicted himself immediately by saying: “It is possible I friendly patted her, but I don’t remember.”
Grushin denied cornering the victim in the lift, claiming he was reaching for the buttons.
District Judge Nigel McLean bailed Grushin for sentencing, telling him: “Alcohol had been consumed and you accept it did effect your behaviour.
“I entirely accept the complainant’s reaction was to freeze through fear.
“I did not find you a credible witness and reject your account.
“The alcohol diminished your inhibitions and you had an inflated feeling of self-importance in your appearance and everything else.
“You did attempt to kiss her and that behaviour was sexual in nature.”
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