National

Masseur faces court charged with raping four clients

By AAP Newswire

Aug 30, 2024

Lady Justice statue — A masseur has been refused bail after facing court charged with rape and sexual assault of clients. -AAP Image

A massage therapist has been denied bail after facing court charged with the rape and sexual assault of four clients.

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Detectives will allege four women were assaulted at a massage parlour at Epping in Melbourne's north between June and August 2024, Victoria Police said in a statement.

Hai Long Tang, 53, was arrested on Thursday afternoon and charged with 13 counts of rape and 18 counts of sexual assault.

Police will allege the women attended the business for a massage when he assaulted them.

It is the first time the Wollert man has been in custody, Tang's lawyer said as he faced Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday afternoon.

The father-of-three applied for bail but was refused, after the court heard Tang's four victims did not want him released.

The magistrate highlighted the "overwhelmingly close proximity" and likelihood of "unintended" contact between Tang and the victims if he was granted bail, as his home was close to the site of the alleged offending.

Tang was taken back into custody and will return to the court on November 22.

Detectives have asked anyone with information on the case to come forward.