County Court: Greensborough massage therapist, Mehrshad Moharaminia raped client

A disgraced Greensborough masseur who continued massaging women for years after he raped a vulnerable client has failed to show remorse for his sickening crime.

Mehrshad “Sam” Moharaminia’s victim was a Chinese woman who spoke little English.

A disgraced Melbourne massage therapist who “tested the waters” with a vulnerable client before he raped her will spend years behind bars for the reprehensible act.

Mehrshad “Sam” Moharaminia was sentenced to six years’ and two months’ jail in the County Court on Thursday after a jury earlier found him guilty of rape and sexual assault.

The man, who arrived in Australia in 2011, took advantage of a vulnerable client when he inappropriately touched her before digitally raping her in March 2019 at a CBD massage parlour.

The court heard his victim, a Chinese woman who spoke little English, returned to her homeland following the rape where she continued to suffer from the attack, felt sick by “normal contact” with men, and had ongoing treatment for anxiety.

Mehrshad “Sam” Moharaminia has been jailed for six years and two months.

Moharaminia’s lawyer Sam Tovey said the offending was impulsive and spontaneous while the prosecution asserted it was brazen and a serious breach of trust.

Moharaminia was a qualified remedial therapist in Queensland before he moved to Melbourne two years prior to the assault where he managed Zen 5 Chinese massage on Lt Collins St.

Following the rape, he started Body & Motion Massage at Greensborough, in Melbourne’s northeast, where he operated for years before intervention by the regulator.

The court previously heard the Health Complaints Commissioner issued an interim prohibition order against him in September last year, almost one year before he was held on remand.

Judge Rosemary Carlin said the offending was “reprehensible” and took place by way of Moharaminia “testing the waters” with a young vulnerable woman who placed her trust in him.

Moharaminia tested the waters with a young vulnerable woman who placed her trust in him.

Judge Carlin noted he immediately stopped the rape when his victim signalled him to and it was to his credit there was no subsequent offending despite working in the field for some time after the charge period.

While he was well supported by family and had a “reasonable to good” prospect of rehabilitation, Judge Carlin said she would be more confident had he acknowledged his wrongdoing and remorse by way of a plea.

He was sentenced as a serious sexual offender and ordered to serve six years and two months behind bars.

He will be eligible for parole after three years and eight months.