Glenelg massage parlour worker sexual assault charges upgraded
He faces more than 100 charges relating to alleged sexual acts carried while massaging women at a seaside massage parlour, but nobody is allowed to know his name.
South
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A Glenelg masseur allegedly preyed upon women he massaged by raping, indecently assaulting and filming them without their knowledge – but police and his lawyer do not want his name released.
The man, who was in the country on a work visa, now faces a staggering 119 charges across 52 complainants relating to the shocking allegations which police allege were committed over almost eight months from the massage parlour at which he worked.
A suppression on his name, image and workplace, granted at his first court appearance in July after a police application on the premise the investigation was ongoing, will continue.
A police prosecutor on Wednesday told the court the suppression needed to continue.
“It has been identified that there are some complainants who may need to participate in identification procedures and they have not yet been arranged,” she said.
“This is quite a large matter where there may well be additional complainants that are the subject of charges in the future or in the intervening period and they may need to also participate in identification procedures and those would be prejudiced should that material be published.”
The prosecutor, however, told the court a charge determination had been made, with which an initial four charges had blown out to the 119 counts, but the investigation was still ongoing.
The man was arrested in July last year and charged with one count of rape, one of indecent filming and two of indecent assault relating to two alleged victims.
During his first court appearance in the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court in July, a police prosecutor said early investigations indicated he could in excess of, but at least, 264 alleged victims of sexual assault or indecent filming.
The court heard a phone he had in his possession when arrested allegedly contained footage of the other potential incidents dating back to the start of 2022.
By the time he next faced court 17 days later, thirteen more women had made sexual assault allegations against him.
The court heard, at that time, investigating officers had tagged 721 allegedly indecent images and there were 150 to 200 potential women who could be identified in the images.
He was initially denied bail before his then-counsel, high profile defence barrister Marie Shaw KC, appealed the decision in the Supreme Court which saw him granted home detention.
William Mickan, for the man, asked for the charge determination to be adjourned given the large volume of material police had compiled as part of their case.
Magistrate Brian Nitschke granted the suppression, adjourned the charge determination and the man will next face court in March.
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