Michael Matthews charged with sexual touching during massages

A Melbourne massage therapist who touched the breasts of two women at different clinics has also come clean about smoking cannabis during work hours.

Michael Matthews has pleaded guilty to touching the breasts of two women while working as a massage therapist in Greensborough and Brunswick in June 2024 Picture: Facebook

A handsy myotherapist — who smoked cannabis while working at a wellness centre — has avoided jail after touching multiple clients’ breasts during massages.

Dressed in a blue suit, Michael Matthews, 49, who worked as a myotherapist in Brunswick and Greensborough, pleaded guilty to two charges at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Monday, relating to incidents in June 2024 where he inappropriately touched the breasts of patients during massages.

He was charged with two counts intentionally touching another person that was sexual without consent.

Michael Matthews was confronted by a client in Greensborough after he touched her breasts during a massage Picture: Facebook

The court heard the two incidents occurred six days apart, with the second victim calling him out for his creepy antics after he had “rubbed around her breasts in a circular motion under the blanket before he fully cupped her breasts from underneath with the palms of his hands”.

“The accused rubbed his hands directly over (the victim’s) breasts and repeated the same movement a couple of times,” according to court documents.

“The accused touched breasts without her consent and without a clinical reason.”

It was then when the victim challenged the inappropriate treatment, moving her hands to cover her chest.

“Sorry I’m really uncomfortable, I’m not sure what the purpose was of touching me like that,” she said.

A formal complaint was then lodged to Greensborough Remedian Massage and Myotherapy soon after.

Michael Matthews pleaded guilty at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Monday Picture: Facebook

The court heard the first victim did not confront Matthews at the time, feeling “confused and vulnerable” during the incident where he “touched her breast tissue and nipples, moving his hands up and down multiple times”.

She instead contacted Brunswick Health on August 20, with the centre terminating Matthews’ contact on August 31.

In an impact statement read to the court, this first victim said she had developed a fear of being along with men she did not know after the incident.

“I was at my most vulnerable. I was under a towel on my back, (it was) the last place I thought I’d need to worry about being assaulted,” she wrote.

“I froze, I was stuck and felt trapped and carried so much shame for that.

“I no longer feel okay being alone in confined spaces with men I don’t know ... the thought of being alone with an unknown male makes me feel incredibly anxious.”

Despite initially denying the first complaint, Matthews’ lawyer Kate Da Costa said he had since “expressed an understanding and insight of his offending” and “genuine remorse”, undergoing seven sex offender treatment sessions.

Moreover, the court heard during this offending Matthews had returned to cannabis as a coping mechanism after a close family friend died at Easter 2024, including smoking at the workplace.

“I understand his cannabis use increased again to the point where he was smoking daily, including before, during and after work,” Ms Da Costa said.

He was sentenced to an 18 month community corrections order with conviction.