East Lothian crime: Massage therapist escapes jail after admitting sexual assault of two female clients

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

Gavin Murray admitted sexually assaulting two female clients | Alex Lawrie

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. He 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 told Murray had been convicted of intentionally touching the breasts of two women following a two-day trial at the court in March 2022. 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. 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, from 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 year 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.

Defence agent Fraser Napier had told the court his client had worked as a civil engineer for around 30 years and had qualified as a massage therapist after retiring from the profession.

Previously the court heard 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 Murray had touched the woman inappropriately while he massaged her back and shoulders by sliding his hand onto her breasts.

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

Sheriff Anderson also imposed a conduct requirement where Murray is banned from massaging anyone apart from his wife.