Pervert Leith sports therapist admits fondling 15 more male clients in his makeshift home clinic

A sports therapist who avoided jail for sexually assaulting six men has now confessed to a further 15 attacks.

Matthew Priest, 41, of Leith fondled the male clients while he was meant to be treating them with a massage for muscle strains.

The predator molested the victims at his Edinburgh flat, where he had set up a makeshift clinic named The Edinburgh Massage in the living room.

He was criticised for “a serious breach of trust” as he was given a five-year sexual offences prevention order with two years’ supervision in 2018 after pleading guilty to an initial batch of crimes.

In his previous confession it was revealed that he also grabbed another man’s penis after being asked to massage the man’s shoulders and legs.

However, following press coverage of the case, more former customers began to contact the police, Edinburgh’s Sheriff Court was told after Priest returned to the dock.

Prosecutor Susan Dickson recounted how most of the complainants contacted Priest after reading online reviews of his services and he advertised his services through social media.

According to his website, which has since been closed, he offered “generous appointment times and a hands-on approach to target the root cause of problems”.

At his Leith Walk flat, the men were told to undress and lie on the treatment table during the £45-an-hour sessions. Priest would then start massaging them in the injured areas before brushing his hand against their genitals. Many who have now come forward thought the touching was “an accident” at the time.

Priest has admitted sexual assaults on 15 men between January 2015 and June 2018. Sheriff Donald Corke deferred sentencing until next month.