Anthony John Pittorino pleaded not guilty to rapes, sexual assaults

A masseuse is fighting rape and sexual assault charges in court amid allegations he told a woman her breasts were “lazy” and he could make them “perky”.

Anthony John Pittorino, 73, pleaded not guilty to five counts of rape and two counts of sexual assault when he appeared before Hervey Bay District Court on Tuesday.

The trial of a Pacific Haven masseuse accused of raping and sexually assaulting a client has begun in Hervey Bay.

Anthony John Pittorino, 73, pleaded not guilty to five counts of rape and two counts of sexual assault when he appeared before Hervey Bay District Court on Tuesday.

Crown Prosecutor Stephanie Gallagher said in her opening statement that the woman was sexually assaulted during a number of appointments she had with Mr Pittorino.

But defence barrister Christopher O’Meara said there had been a consensual sexual relationship between his client and the woman.

Ms Gallagher said the woman had visited Mr Pittorino seven times and had been sexually assaulted on each occasion, with allegations he had touched the woman’s breasts, then in later appointments digitally penetrated her vagina and in the final two appointments, had put his penis inside her vagina.

During the first appointment, the woman had watched Mr Pittorino massage her sister, which included massaging her breast and groin area, Mr Gallagher said.

Anthony John Pittorino, 73, pleaded not guilty to five counts of rape and two counts of sexual assault when he appeared before Hervey Bay District Court on Tuesday.

He had spoken of training he did overseas and for each appointment he had charged $70, she said.

Ms Gallagher said that Mr Pittorino said things to the woman that made her think it “was legitimate and for a therapeutic reason”.

She said consent could not be given in circumstances where someone “gives false and fraudulent information ... about what they were doing”.

Ms Gallagher said the woman had been told by Mr Pittorino that her “body was out of alignment”.

Mr Pittorino said her breasts had “become lazy” and he could “make them perky again”, Ms Gallagher said.

She said there was no therapeutic benefit to touching the breasts for hip and back pain.

During another appointment, Ms Gallagher said, Mr Pittorino allegedly told the woman he “needed to see where her uterus was lying”, and he allegedly digitally penetrated her.

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He then allegedly told her that her uterus was in “the wrong position”.

Ms Gallagher said the woman had considered him to be a professional and knew other people he had treated.

She also felt there was some improvement to her hip and back pain, Ms Gallagher said.

But after the sixth appointment, where Mr Pittorino had allegedly used his penis to penetrate the woman for the first time the woman had called a friend and discussed returning to see him again.

She returned for a seventh time where he was again accused of using his penis to penetrate her vagina.

After the appointment, the woman spoke to another friend, then spoke to police.

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The jury would also hear the recording of a phone conversation between the woman and Mr Pittorino and a conversation between him and police, Ms Gallagher said.

She told the jury that Mr Pittorino had “done this sort of thing before”.

In 2013, a young woman had gone to Mr Pittorino for the treatment of neck and shoulder issues and he had sexually assaulted her by touching her around her genitalia, Ms Gallagher said.

In concluding, Ms Gallagher said Mr Pittorino had used the woman’s “vulnerability and naivety” against her under the guise of legitimate treatment.

Mr O’Meara briefly addressed the jury, asking them to “keep an open mind” and listen to the evidence carefully.

He said there had been sexual activity but it was consensual and there “was no misunderstanding”.

The trial continues on Wednesday.