Christopher Knaus June 02, 2012
A Canberra masseur has been cleared of molesting six women during massage sessions over three years.
A jury took roughly four hours to find the 48-year-old man, who cannot be named, not guilty on all 12 charges of committing acts of indecency without consent.
Those charges had related to six women to whom the 48-year-old had given remedial or relaxation massages to between 2006 and 2009.
The ACT Supreme Court had heard accusations he had touched the women inappropriately, and made lewd, suggestive comments.
He was accused of asking to massage one clients' chest, slapping her buttocks, and pulling down her towel to expose her breasts.
The court also heard allegations that he had an erection during some of the sessions, and had asked women to remove their underwear.
The defence argued the events had not occurred as they were described by the complainants. Rather than having an erection, the defence said the masseur had a massage oil bottle in his pocket.
The Supreme Court jury cleared the masseur on all charges yesterday, taking just four hours to deliver their verdict.
The masseur had admitted to touching one woman's vaginal area, but said it had been accidental, and that he immediately apologised.
He was also accused of making lewd comments to his clients, allegedly telling one woman she was coming out of her ''dirty 30s'' and into her ''naughty 40s''. He strongly denied those allegations, and other accusations that he had asked one of the clients about her sex life.
He also denied slapping the buttocks of one woman, after she had complained about how they wobbled. The court heard the defendant had simply waved his hand, telling her not to be silly, before accidentally coming into contact with her buttock.