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A 61-year-old India-origin massage therapist has been sentenced to a minimum of 10 years in prison for the serial sexual assault of 61 female clients in Adelaide, a major city in the Australian state of South Australia. The perpetrator, identified as Suresh Reddy, was found guilty of various offences, including multiple counts of aggravated indecent assault and serious indecent acts with a child under 16.
According to reports, between 2015 and 2018, Reddy exploited his position as a licensed massage therapist to prey on vulnerable female clients at his massage parlour in Adelaide’s outer western suburbs. His victims, mostly women aged between 24 and 55, were allegedly subjected to a wide range of depraved and disturbing acts, including oral and anal rape, at the hands of the unqualified therapist.
The Adelaide Magistrates Court, where the trial took place, heard that Reddy deliberately targeted women who were unaware of their rights or were intimidated by him due to his assertive behavior. Prosecutors argued that the defendant’s actions demonstrated a callous disregard for the well-being of his victims, whom he viewed as mere “commodities”.
The prosecution also highlighted that Reddy had no formal qualifications in massage therapy, despite being licensed by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. The agency eventually revoked his registration in 2018, following a complaint from a distraught victim who reported being assaulted by him.
Following a grueling trial that lasted for several weeks, Reddy was found guilty of multiple counts of aggravated indecent assault, serious indecent acts with a child under 16, and other sex-related crimes. Magistrate Elizabeth Wilson described Reddy’s actions as “sickening and reprehensible” and stated that his victims suffered severe physical and emotional trauma at the hands of the defendant.
Reddy’s defence team attempted to portray their client as a “good man with no bad intentions” but their narrative was rejected by the court. The judge took into account Reddy’s previous clean record and his family responsibilities but noted that a harsh sentence was necessary to deter others from committing similar crimes.
This case serves as a sobering reminder of the critical need for robust regulatory mechanisms to protect the public from predatory healthcare workers. The South Australian Government has since announced plans to strengthen the vetting process for healthcare practitioners, particularly those in massage therapy.