Yufu Tian pleads guilty to sexual assault at massage parlour in Sunshine Plaza

A woman has been subjected to a brazen sexual assault at a Queensland shopping centre at the hands of a married man who groped her for almost half a minute as she lay frozen in shock.

Yufu Tian leaving Maroochydore District Court on Thursday. Picture: Sam Turner

An unqualified massage therapist has brought shame onto his family after groping a woman during a massage at the Sunshine Plaza, a court has heard.

Yufu Tian’s victim was frozen in fear when the Chinese national sexually assaulted her under the guise of a massage on February 9 last year at the Maroochydore shopping centre business.

The Maroochydore District Court was told how the 69-year-old Palmview man groped the woman’s breasts for almost half a minute until she told him to stop.

The fallout of the brazen and indecent incident was retold on Thursday after Tian pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault, with the help of an interpreter.

Crown prosecutor Rebecca Marks said Tian was working in an unofficial capacity at the massage business at the Sunshine Plaza when the victim arranged for a hot stone massage through a gift card she was given.

Ms Marks said the victim met Tian, who told her he could only communicate through the translate service on his phone.

He began massaging her neck however the woman told Tian it was a hot stone massage.

Tian after his sentence. Picture: Sam Turner

Tian eventually left the room and retrieved the stones and placed several on her back. The 69-year-old told the woman to turn over so he could then do a “heart and lung massage” to help her breathing.

He massaged her ribs while her towel covered the upper part of her body. However out of the blue he removed her towel and exposed her left breast, which he began to massage.

Ms Marks said the victim was shocked, frozen and unable to speak.

Tian then took the towel off of her other breast and groped both with “some force and speed” for a further 20 seconds until she demanded he stop and covered herself.

The court heard he began the neck massage however he persisted with asking to continue the “heart and lung massage” on the translate service until she cut the session short.

She told her family and police, with Tian being interviewed by officers with a translator and some of his family on June 23 last year.

Ms Marks said Tian denied massaging her breasts and was adamant he only massaged her neck, shoulders and back.

It was later revealed Tian had no formal massage qualifications whatsoever.

He pleaded guilty to one charge. Picture: Sam Turner

In reading from the victim’s police statement, the Crown prosecutor said the woman felt “sick” and “dirty”, even after multiple showers.

The victim said she “couldn’t get rid of the dirty feeling”.

Ms Marks labelled it brazen, invasive and persistent offending on a woman who was 30 years younger than him.

The court was told Tian, a welder by trade, was on a temporary visa to Australia after migrating from China to be closer to family.

Defence barrister Mark Dixon said Tian accepted his actions were wrong and felt he brought shame upon his family.

Mr Dixon said Tian’s family still supported him, including his wife.

The defence barrister argued for the 69-year-old not to spend time in actual custody due to the language barrier and his health issues, saying it would be onerous as he would be isolated.

Judge Gary Long said the Palmview man’s crime was clearly a “grave violation of trust” but believed the incident was an aberration for the Palmview man.

Tian was jailed for nine months, suspended immediately for 18 months.

Originally published as Yufu Tian pleads guilty to sexual assault at massage parlour in Sunshine Plaza