A new Sheriff Woody patrols Times Square after his predecessor was arrested for groping Australian tourists. Source: Supplied

José Vasquez has been charged with three counts of attempted forcible touching and three counts of sex abuse for the alleged groping of the tourists, who had stopped to pose for pictures with him on Jan. 9, 2014, the New York Post reports.

Police Officer Shreegan Meade was working undercover in the area at the time and witnessed the incident. He testified in the court hearing on Monday in New York.

Officer Meade said “The defendant, who was dressed as Woody​, was with Buzz Lightyear and Minnie Mouse taking group photographs.

He testified he heard a woman scream “He just grabbed my butt.

“Then I observed a woman in front of the defendant jump up and scream. She hopped up and down in place while shaking her hands.

He heard her exclaim: “He just grabbed my butt! I can’t believe he did that! I’m really upset!”

After taking a complaint from the women, Officer Meade said he kept a close watch on Sheriff Woody, only to discover him “rubbing his open palm on the buttocks area” of two more female tourists who had posed with him separately.

That’s when the undercover officer arrested him.

Mr Vasquez has denied the allegations against him.

José Vasquez, dressed as ‘Woody’ being detained. Picture: Byron Smith Source: Supplied

The characters count their tips after a successful selfie. Picture: Matt Young Source: Supplied

Mickey and Minnie pose for the camera. No tip necessary this time. Picture: Matt Young Source: Supplied

Yet the characters roaming the tourist hotspot today have their own side to tell.

One character wishing to remain anonymous said that without commenting on the case involving the Australians, it’s not always the characters at fault, arguing sometimes tourists don’t behave.

“Tourists, they grope me and do all kinds of things to me.

“I’m a very attractive character, if they’ve had a few drinks, they’ll even go for my private parts.

“I don’t say anything, I never go to the cops or anything like that.”

The group, dressed as an array of well-known identities including Elmo, Minnie Mouse, Cookie Monster, The Incredible Hulk, Spider-Man and Thor, roam Times Square in the hope of scoring a selfie with a tourist. For a dollar, or five.

“Some of people behind these costumes don’t know how to read, don’t know how to write.

“I don’t know what the facts are [about the court case], but in my experience, the characters here are a positive thing.

“(Abuse of tourists) is not allowed by us if we see it. If someone is too huggy-huggy, we tell them, it’s not in your interest.”

The new Sheriff Woody patrolling Times Square refused to give a comment to news.com.au.

José Vasquez, “Woody”, being detained. Picture: Byron Smith Source: Supplied

Yet prosecutor Jesse Matthews argued that Mr Vasquez, along with many of the other characters are harassing unsuspecting tourists.

“People from all around the world come to Times Square every day,” he said.

“They do not come to be groped, rubbed or grabbed in the buttocks by a man wearing a costume.”

In June, Hello Kitty and Minnie Mouse were arrested after fighting over a tip.

Cookie Monster, meanwhile, was caught shoving a toddler after its mother wouldn’t supply a tip.

And Elmo was jailed for attempting to extort money from the Girl Scouts of America.

In one day, at least 60 characters can be found along the Times Square strip.

“This is the latest in a long series of disturbing incidents that reinforce our belief that these costume characters must be licensed and regulated,” Times Square Alliance president Tim Tompkins told CBS New York.

— youngma@news.com.au