61 Victims In 9 Months: Indian-Origin Massage Therapist Sent To Jail In Australia For Sexual Assault And Voyeurism Case

An Indian-origin massage therapist has been sentenced by an Adelaide court in Australia to 13 years and 10 months in prison for sexual assault and voyeurism involving 61 women over nine months. The court also set a non-parole period and noted severe victim trauma.

A court in Adelaide, Australia, has sentenced Sumit Satish Rastogi, a 39-year-old massage therapist originally from Delhi, to 13 years and 10 months in prison for multiple sexual assault and voyeurism offences. The court found him guilty of abusing his position while working at a massage centre and committing offences against multiple women over a period of several months.

Offences Committed At Adelaide Massage Centre

The incidents took place between October 2021 and July 2022 at a massage centre in Glenelg, a suburb of Adelaide. The accused, who reportedly did not hold formal qualifications in massage therapy, was working at the centre during this period.

According to court proceedings, he was found guilty of 97 offences, including multiple counts of aggravated indecent assault and voyeurism involving 61 women.

Court Details And Victim Impact Statements

During sentencing at the South Australia District Court, Judge Carmen Matteo noted that the offender’s behaviour escalated over time and became increasingly predatory.

Victim impact statements presented in court described severe emotional trauma. One woman stated that the incident occurred during her honeymoon and had a lasting psychological impact on her personal life and relationships. 

Another victim urged others not to ignore suspicious behaviour and to report such incidents immediately.

Defence Argument Rejected By Court

The defence argued that the accused suffered from voyeuristic disorder. However, the court rejected this submission, stating that the condition did not reduce criminal responsibility for the offences committed.

The judge imposed a non-parole period of 10 years and 10 months.

Deportation Likely After Sentence Completion

Rastogi, who moved to Australia in 2011, is currently serving his sentence in prison. Authorities have indicated that he is likely to be deported to India after completing his sentence in 2035.