Charles William Davidson guilty of 40 offences against 16 massage clients

A masseur raped and sexually assaulted clients, including a 15-year-old child, over a 12-year period in Brisbane, Maryborough and Hervey Bay. Justice came today for the man’s 16 victims.

A masseur has been found guilty of seven counts of rape, 30 sexual assault offences and three counts of indecently treating a child, 15.

A masseur has been found guilty of 40 offences against 16 massage clients, over a 12-year period in Brisbane, Maryborough and Hervey Bay.

A jury on Tuesday found Charles William Davidson, 71, guilty of seven counts of rape, 30 sexual assault offences and three counts of indecently treating a child, 15.

The jury was unable to reach a verdict on two sexual assault charges and two other sexual assault charges were dropped during the trial.

Davidson will be sentenced on Thursday.

The masseur was sentenced in 2018 to five and a half years’ jail, to serve a minimum of two years and six months, for sexually assaulting 10 other female massage clients and raping one.

Detective Senior Constable Lachlan McGraa said after the latest verdict there had now been justice for 26 victims.

“The offending by Davidson that has been prosecuted throughout the last two trials can only be described as calculated and predatory targeting of these ladies, when they were in a most vulnerable situation,” Sen Const McGraa said.

The jury in the latest trial found Davidson sexually touched 15 women and a girl, 15, during massage sessions at his home or at physiotherapy or chiropractic clinics, between 2003 and 2015.

He massaged breasts without permission, sometimes testing for “nipple reaction” by squeezing nipples, and touched vaginal and anal areas of naked or semi-naked clients.

Crown prosecutor Judy Geary said Davidson took advantage of his position to commit offences against vulnerable clients who had gone to him for remedial or therapeutic massages.

Davidson digitally raped and indecently treated a child, 15, at his home, shortly before her 16th birthday.

The following day, Davidson told the girl that she had a beautiful vagina.

One of Davidson’s adult victims who was sexually assaulted was a police officer, who said the massage she was given was very sensual and “a horrible thing that occurred”.

Ms Geary pointed to the similarity of Davidson’s methods of offending.

She said some of the women’s evidence about Davidson massaging their breasts also showed a clear pattern, with three women saying he squeezed or tweaked their nipples.

Ms Geary also told the jury there were remarkably similar patterns with Davidson allegedly putting fingers in or on vaginal areas and three women were told to do unwarranted stretches exposing their vaginal areas.

She said Davidson also used suggestive or inappropriate comments with some women.

One woman told of Davidson saying a woman’s body and clitoris were for pleasure, during her massage.

Another woman said Davidson told her he had helped a client to orgasm while another woman said he talked about erogenous zones and said other massage therapists did not know how to pleasure a woman.

Davidson suddenly changed into a sarong while giving one woman a hakuna Hawaiian-style massage and offered to wax her pubic hair, the court heard.

After she refused the offer, he then digitally raped her, the court heard.

At one point, Davidson pulled the woman’s hand towards him, so it touched his penis, and then kissed her vaginal area, over the top of her underwear.

Davidson discussed erogenous zones with another female client, whom he sexually assaulted, after telling her masseurs of today did not know how to pleasure a woman.

Davidson did not call or give evidence, but his defence counsel said there were inconsistencies in some of the women’s evidence, compared to what they told police.

Sen Constable McGraa said after a single complaint six years ago, detectives from Acacia Ridge, Carseldine, Hervey Bay and Maryborough began an investigation into Davidson’s offending against massage clients that led to his prosecution.

He said members of the public should feel safe and free from mistreatment when seeking remedial and therapeutic health services.