Northern suburbs masseur Jingsong Tan jailed for indecently assaulting client

A masseur who indecently assaulted a terrified client by massaging her breasts and genitalia then gifted her a crotchless G-string, a court heard.

A masseur who was acting out a “misguided fantasy” by indecently assaulting a client then handed her a shocking gift, a court heard.

Jingsong Tan, 35, was jailed for acting out his “misguided fantasy” after he believed a woman returned her feelings because she had come in for a massage several times.

During sentencing, the District Court heard Tan was working as a massage therapist at his parents’ massage business in Mawson Lakes.

The victim, who had often been massaged by Tan, attended for a massage in November 2021.

The court heard Tan massaged her for 45 minutes before asking her to turn over so that she was facing upwards.

Tan then dimmed the lights and placed a small towel over the victim’s eyes, before massaging her inner thigh, groin area and stomach.

Masseur Jingsong Tan was jailed for indecently assaulting a client. Photo: File

The court heard Tan then proceeded to massage her breasts, at which point the victim started to panic.

“She felt scared and did not know what to say or do. She just wanted to get out,” Judge Heath Barklay said during sentencing.

The court heard Tan then pulled the victim’s underwear down to her thighs and massaged her clitoris.

“The victim was in complete shock and was ready to scream, when you started massaging her face with oil,” Judge Barklay said.

The court heard the victim got up and left – with Tan handing her a bag that contained a red crotchless G-string.

The victim told her husband what occurred and he confronted Tan at the business – who immediately apologised for his behaviour.

Tan, of Salisbury, pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent assault.

The court heard the offending had a profound impact on the victim, with her trust towards people and relationships being affected.

“She says that she used to be brave, but now feels scared, as her memories keep resurfacing and she does feel confident anymore,” Judge Barklay said.

The court heard Tan told police in an interview he was attracted to the victim and had feelings for her.

“You thought, as the victim had come to you for a massage several times, that this somehow suggested that she may have been interested in you,” Judge Barklay said.

The court heard Tan was socially isolated and his only sexual experiences had been with escorts or watching pornography on the internet.

“It blurred your own thought patterns and you succumbed to ill-informed and misguided fantasies … in which you were inculpable, like those individuals you viewed online,” Judge Barklay said.

The court heard Tan, who was born in China and came to Australia with his family in 2006, had worked in the massage business since 2016.

Judge Barklay said Tan took advantage of his position to opportunistically indecently assault the victim.

“People who attend massage therapists are in an inherently vulnerable position, given their state of undress and relative position to the masseur,” he said.

“There is a degree of trust that is placed in people performing that work, that they will do so appropriately and professionally.”

Judge Barklay sentenced Tan to eight months jail.