Riaz Behi: Back Guys Sydney chiropractor jailed for sexual assault

Disturbing details have emerged of a Sydney chiropractor’s repeated sexual assault of his client who could not speak English as he is punished for the crimes.

A Sydney court has heard disturbing details of how a Sydney chiropractor repeatedly sexually assaulted his client and took advantage of the fact she did not understand English or Australian treatment practices.

Riaz Behi, 47, has been jailed in the Downing Centre District Court in relation to 13 charges, including sexual intercourse without consent and sexual touching while under authority.

They were committed against a Japanese national during several appointments at the Back Guys on York St, Sydney.

The court heard the victim was recommended treatment by Behi for a range of health issues, including back pain from a fall and abdominal scarring from cervical cancer treatment.

At the beginning of each appointment, Behi would tell the victim to undress and lay on the treatment bed, to which she would comply to the extent of removing everything except for her underwear.

Riaz Behi has been sentenced to nine years behind bars. Picture: Joel Carrett

When she was laying on her stomach, he placed a towel on her, tucked it into her underwear and pulled it down so her backside was visible. He would massage her butt cheeks, groin and thighs and touch her genital area.

The court heard during one February 7 appointment, the victim began to fall asleep and was “shocked” when she felt him insert a finger “a little bit” inside her.

At another appointment five days later, the court heard the victim used Google Translate to ask Behi what he was doing. He asked her “how” and “feel” and she said “stop” and “no”.

He asked her if she wanted him to stop, to which she said yes, before he “lifted her bra up and touched her breast,” according to facts recited by Judge Sarah Huggett.

He typed: “The massage I’m giving you is no ordinary, regular massage” and she responded on Google Translate that she wanted a “regular massage” and not “this kind of massage”. He said he would not give that kind of massage again, but assaulted her on four more occasions.

On the last assault during an April 4 appointment, Behi used a massager on the victim’s thigh and groin before moving it onto her abdominal scarring. According to the facts, she felt pain and grabbed the machine, saying she wanted him to stop, but he continued. He grabbed her legs, pushed them up towards her shoulders and assaulted her.

Sydney chiropractor Riaz Behi(left) at Darlinghurst Court in Sydney last year. Picture: Dylan Coker

The court heard the victim continued to return to be treated by Behi despite the assaults because she thought he was a medical doctor and it would be rude to questions his treatments. As per Japanese tradition, she would bow to Behi and thank him at the end of each appointment.

The court heard she said she knew cultural and treatment options may differ in Australia to those of Japan and some aspects of his treatment were helping her pain.

Judge Huggett convicted Behi of all 13 charges and sentenced him to an aggregate sentence of nine years, with a non-parole period of five years and six months.

She said she assessed Behi’s offending to be “below the mid range” of offences of this type.

“He was in a position of authority. As such she trusted the offender,” Judge Huggett said.

“The offender is an intelligent man and was not suffering from any psychological impairment at the time.

“The offences appear to be momentary or fleeting and were committed without violence or particular force.”

Judge Huggett said she was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that Behi continued to offend despite the knowledge the victim did not consent.

“The offender maintains he is innocent … He’s entitled to maintain his innocence but there is no evidence that would commit me to find he is contrite or remorseful”.

Despite this, Judge Huggett said she was satisfied Behi had a low risk of reoffending.

A jury found Behi guilty of the 13 charges in a retrial after the first trial resulted in a hung jury.