An acupuncturist who touched a female client’s breasts during a treatment has been given a suspended jail sentence.
Qi Ming Hu (61) pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting the 21-year-old woman.
The offence was committed at the Chinese, Acupuncture and Herbal Clinic, in Granby Street, Leicester city centre.
Victoria Rose, prosecuting, said the victim went to the clinic seeking treatment for stress and anxiety, on April 30 last year.
During an initial consultation, Hu said the acupuncture treatment would conclude with a massage.
Miss Rose said: “They went to a basement treatment room and he told her to remove her clothing and tugged at her bra strap saying ‘remove that as well,’ which she did.
“He told her to remove her knickers, but she refused.
“He left her with a towel; more like a hand towel.
“He commenced inserting needles to her arms and legs and removed the towel and placed needles in her sternum area and lower abdomen.”
After removing the needles 25 minutes later, Hu proceeded to massage the woman’s shoulders and legs, and began to massage her breast area, moving to her lower abdomen, to the top of her knickers.
Miss Rose said: “He was aware of her discomfort because he was telling her to calm down and not to be scared.”
She added: “He was in breach of the British Acupuncture Council guidelines by failing getting written patient consent for the treatment.
“The established practice of the council is there should be no contact, or touching, of sensitive or intimate areas without prior written consent and a chaperone should be present when such treatment is carried out, which did not happen in this case.”
Leicester Crown Court was told Hu admitted inappropriately touching the woman, on the basis he touched her breasts over the towel and not on bare skin.
Hu, of Lincoln Street, Highfields, Leicester, who has no previous convictions, had the proceedings translated by a Mandarin interpreter.
He was given a 10 month jail sentence, suspended for two years, with a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement.
He was banned from treating any female patients for two years, and will have to enlist on a sex offender register for 10 years.
Judge Nicholas Dean QC said: “I accept you’re ashamed of what you did.
“It must have been distressing for her.
“What you did had no therapeutic purpose and must have been for your own gratification.
“It was a serious abuse of trust.
“Your guilty plea has spared the complainant the distress of having to give evidence.”
James Keeley, mitigating, said: “He’s worked in this area in this country for 12 years and treated thousands of patients without any complaint.
“He’s wracked with remorse.
“He’s a hard working individual and can still treat male patients.
“He also sells herbal remedies and that part of the business continues.”
Source: Leicester Mercury
