A holistic therapist based in Dublin faces allegations of sexually assaulting a female client during a massage session while she was “pinned to the table”.
The defendant, a foreign national in his thirties, was brought before Judge Derek Cooney at Dublin District Court on Saturday.
He cannot be identified due to legal restrictions and stands charged with sexually assaulting the woman on a date earlier this month after allegedly becoming “obsessed” with her, reports Breaking News.
A detective garda opposed bail, highlighting the gravity of the offence and the risk of the accused absconding.
He told the court the man has no connections to Ireland and originates from a country that has no extradition agreement with the State.
When formally charged, the accused “made no reply”.
Judge Cooney was informed that the woman’s partner had arranged the treatment appointment for her.
She had previously been treated by the same therapist and had always considered him highly professional.
During the most recent session, the court heard, the therapist led her into the treatment room and stepped out while she undressed, covering her breasts and lower body with towels while keeping her underwear on beneath them, reports Breaking News.
It is alleged that when he returned he instructed her to relax and began the massage in a manner she described as aggressive and painful.
The detective said the man then “moved to her chest area quite quickly in a criss-cross motion to knock the towel off her breasts”.
He stated the therapist proceeded to massage her breasts using the same criss-cross motion for six or seven minutes and allegedly used one hand to reach inside her underwear.
The woman told gardaí he “hooked” her legs with his arms and lifted them into the air, which she believed was done so he could look at her vaginal area, reports Breaking News.
She said she froze in fear and felt “pinned to the table” but attempted to divert his attention by asking questions about her shoulders, yet he allegedly rolled her over and started massaging her buttocks.
The woman reported that throughout the incident the therapist was breathing heavily, sweating profusely and smelling her hair.
During the hearing it emerged that he allegedly told her “he wished he could massage her every day because he thought her body was hot”, reports Breaking News.
After the session ended, she immediately informed her partner, who contacted gardaí without delay, and the woman, who had visible bruising, provided a comprehensive statement.
On conviction the charge carries a maximum prison term of five years.
The accused, who is yet to enter a plea, followed the proceedings through an interpreter and did not speak in court.
The detective expressed concern that the man may have developed an “obsession” with the complainant and could have obtained her personal details from the salon’s booking system; the workplace has since dismissed him, reports Breaking News.
Gardaí anticipate bringing “a number of other charges”, the court was told.
Under cross-examination by defence solicitor Paul Byrne, the detective accepted that the man has resided in Ireland for several years and has no previous convictions.
It was confirmed he has no outstanding warrants and his Dublin address is known to the authorities, with Mr Byrne stressing that his client does have ties here.
Judge Cooney acknowledged the current two-year backlog for Circuit Court trials and noted the absence of any prior convictions.
Bail was granted on the accused’s own bond of €1,000 with an independent surety required to lodge €5,000 in cash, alongside strict conditions.
He was remanded in custody pending the surety and must reappear next week awaiting directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions, reports Breaking News.
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline/ or visit Rape Crisis Help.
Tell us your thoughts in the Facebook post and share this with your friends.
