Maroochydore masseuse who sexually assaulted eight women over two months has been sentenced to jail.

A court has heard how some female clients were left “frozen in fear” when a Maroochydore masseuse sexually assaulted them.

A masseuse who sexually assaulted eight women has been jailed for his “perverse” behaviour. Picture: File

A masseuse who sexually assaulted eight women over two months has been jailed for his perverse behaviour.

With the help of a translator, Chinese national Hanyou Liu pleaded guilty in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Thursday to eight counts of sexual assault.

Liu, 50, was working as a masseuse at a Maroochydore massage store when he committed seven of the assaults on “vulnerable” women between April and May.

He also assaulted a woman in a massage store in MacGregor in early April.

Magistrate Catherine Benson told the court Liu assaulted the women by “touching or rubbing their breasts or other private parts on their bodies”.

“In relation to one victim you placed your hands or fingers close to the vagina and groin and touched them on the inner thighs,” she said.

“You pressed your own penis or testicles against their hands or parts of their bodies.

“Some of the victims were frozen with fear and some of them told you to stop and you didn’t stop straight away.”

Ms Benson said Liu touched some of the victims underneath their clothes and some over their clothes.

Police prosecutor Nick Nitschke said a term of imprisonment between 15 and 24 months would be appropriate.

“The aggravating factor is the ongoing breach of trust of what can only be described as vulnerable persons who’ve attended for what normally is quite a private experience,” Sergeant Nitschke said.

“ (Liu) has abused that trust for his own perverse reasons.”

Liu, who moved to Australia from China in 2017, spoke limited English and had little to no conversation with any of his customers, defence lawyer Roger Yu said.

“Now he has realised the seriousness of his offending,” Mr Yu said.

“He’s very remorseful and sorry for his actions.

“When the victim impact statements were read to him he was in tears … (Liu) instructed me to convey apologies to all victims concerned.”

The court heard Liu had no previous criminal history and had submitted an early plea of guilty.

Ms Benson said Liu had used his position to violate the trust of his customers.

“Each of the victims were vulnerable and they all trusted you to give them the massage they had come to receive,” she said.

“The victims have suffered initially with shock and since then with ongoing feelings of shame and fear.”

Ms Benson sentenced Liu to two years in jail.

“The seriousness of these charges, in my view, mean he should spend part of his time in custody,” she said.

She ordered that he serve one third of the sentence before being released on parole on March 22, 2022.

Liu, who had been on bail, gave his belongings to people supporting him in court and was escorted into custody.