A MASSAGE therapist is facing almost two dozen sex offences after three more alleged victims came forward reporting abuse.
Stephen Thomas Powley appeared in Armidale Local Court on Wednesday where 18 fresh sexual and indecent assault charges were laid at court.
The 57-year-old is now accused of assaulting six women over varying time periods up until this year at his Uralla business.
Powley was first charged by New England detectives in late-July with five offences which were allegedly committed at his Uralla business.
Detectives allege he touched the first three women inappropriately and on their private parts while he was delivering massage therapy in 2014, as well as one incident in 2016.
Since the charges were made public, three more women have contacted police alleging they were assaulted by the Uralla-based masseur.
Powley is facing two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a victim under authority when he was massaging clients, eight counts of aggravated indecent assault of a victim under authority and one further with a victim with a physical disability.
He’s also now charged with eight counts of assaulting with an act of indecency and four counts of sexual intercourse without consent.
Eight of the charges relate to one woman, while six counts are connected to a second woman.
Court documents state during one massage session with a woman on Christmas Eve, 2014, in Uralla, investigators will allege Powley “licked her underarm and sucked on her nipple”.
Magistrate Michael Holmes ordered detectives to compile the brief of evidence on the fresh charges and serve it on Powley’s defence solicitor next month.
His solicitor will have two weeks to consider the evidence before the case returns to court in mid-December.
Powley was not required to enter a plea to the charges.
During the court proceedings, Mr Holmes also suppressed the identities of all six of the alleged victims.
He also continued Powley’s conditional bail.
As part of his conditions for bail, court documents state Powley is “not to engage in paid masseur work or conduct massage therapy including any paid or voluntary work” at his place of business or residence.
In July, detectives raided Powley’s Uralla business and seized a number of items before his arrest at his home.
Breanna Chillingworth
Northern Daily Leader Senior Crime and Court Reporter
Northern Daily Leader Senior Crime and Court Reporter
