Massage therapist avoids jail for sexually assaulting two clients

Gavin Murray attacked the women after they booked appointments for treatment at his sports massage business on Dunbar High Street.

Murray, 60, groped the breasts of the victims while they lay exposed with just a towel covering them on his massage table during sessions in 2022.

The therapist was only caught after the two victims decided to come forward after spotting press articles about him previously sexually assaulting two other women in a similar way.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court was that told Murray had been convicted earlier this year of intentionally touching the breasts of two women following a trial at the court.

A sheriff spared him custody on that occasion and instead imposed a supervision order and placed him on the sex offenders' register for 12 months.

Following extensive press coverage of the case, the two new victims decided to report what had happened to them to the police.

READ MORE: More sex assault victims of Dunbar's Gavin Murray come forward

Murray appeared in the dock at the Capital court in June, where he pleaded guilty to the new offences of sexually assaulting the women during massage appointments between January and December 2022.

Murray, of Elder Street, Dunbar, was back in the dock for sentencing on Wednesday, where he again escaped a custodial sentence and was sentenced to a community payback order.

Sheriff Ian Anderson sentenced Murray to a two -ear supervision order and told him he must carry out 100 hours of unpaid work as punishment.

Murray was also placed on the sex offenders' register for five years and banned from having any contact with both of his victims.

Solicitor Fraser Napier, representing Murray, had told the court that his client had worked as a civil engineer for about 30 years and had qualified as a massage therapist after retiring from the profession.

Previously, the court heard that the first victim had contacted Murray for treatment to her neck and back after suffering an injury after she had fallen off a horse in October 2022.

Murray attended the young woman’s home and, after her father had left the room, Murray had placed his hands down the front of her towel and “rubbed both her breast and nipples”.

Fiscal depute Clare Green said: “The accused made reference to a piercing she had and said: ‘What do we have here?’

“The woman felt uncomfortable and vulnerable, and after the massage she returned to her room without telling her father.”

The second victim made contact with Murray’s massage business through an advert on Facebook and attended his clinic on a date between January and December 2022.

The court heard that the disgraced therapist had also touched the woman inappropriately while he massaged her back and shoulders by sliding his hand onto her breasts.

Ms Green said that, following the appointment, Murray had messaged the woman asking her if she wanted a follow-up session but she ignored the request.

The fiscal said that, following press coverage reporting that Murray had been found guilty of sexual assault, the two women had decided to report the attacks on them to the police in March this year.

Murray was previously found guilty of sexually assaulting two women by touching their breasts following a two-day trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court in March this year.

READ MORE: Massage therapist who groped two clients avoids jail

Following the trial, Murray was sentenced to 12 months on the sex offenders' register and placed under the supervision of the social work department.

Sheriff Anderson also imposed a conduct requirement whereby Murray is banned from massaging anyone apart from his wife and is banned from having contact with both victims.