Maitland masseur Merv Fullford sentenced to jail for sexually touching clients

Merv Fullford exploited his reputation as a prominent masseur in Maitland, NSW, to sexually touch and abuse clients - one just 12 years old - across five years during appointments in the home he shared with his wife.

Several of his victims watched on as the 65-year-old was sentenced to 15 years behind bars, with nine years and six months non-parole, in Sydney Downing Centre District Court on Friday.

Fullford was wearing prison greens when he appeared via video link from custody, and showed no emotion when he found out he would be 74 by the time he is eligible for release.

Fullford pleaded guilty to 16 offences - against 15 separate victims between 2015 and 2020 - in a sensational twist while he was giving evidence in his own trial in May this year.

Some details of his behaviour can now be revealed after Judge Gina O'Rourke delivered her judgment.

The court heard a 12-year-old girl had gone to Fullford's home massage therapy business after injuring herself during sport.

He put his hand down her pants and told the young girl her body was "out of line".

She delivered a powerful victim impact statement during a sentence hearing last month, telling the court she had been "innocent" and missed the child she was before.

The victims - aged 12, 14, and in their 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s - had described feeling petrified, extremely uncomfortable, shocked and embarrassed.

Fullford spun lies to his victims about how muscles related to other muscles, and that him massaging them under their underpants or pants or on their breasts was part of their treatment.

A 14-year-old girl whose sports coach had recommended Fullford was told he had to work on her pubic bone area.

"She thought this was a bit odd ... but thought or assumed it had to be done," Judge O'Rourke said.

"She tried to stay calm as she thought this was needed to fix her."

One 29-year-old woman who attended Fullford's massage business described how "she believed he was trying to help her" and she "trusted him".

The court previously heard during victim impact statements that many of the women had ongoing distrust for medical professionals.

During appointments, Fullford had also asked some of the women "inappropriate" questions about masturbation, sexual positions, whether they had been sexually assaulted, and asked one whether her breasts were fake or real.

He asked a 32-year-old woman to "bend over" while he held her hips, and on another occasion, rubbed his groin against a 26-year-old woman's back.

Judge O'Rourke said the offending consisted of separate incidents against different victims.

"They all also involve a significant abuse of trust," she said.

The court heard Fullford had said he had thousands of clients since becoming a masseur in 2012.

Many of his 15 victims had been referred to him by friends, family, or sporting organisations.

"The offender was a long-time and well-regarded member of the local community," Judge O'Rourke said.

The Crown had argued Fullford had used his reputation to be alone with vulnerable women and girls and have the opportunity to commit the offences.

Character references from 10 people - including his wife of 41 years who continues to support him - were handed up.

Judge O'Rourke said reports prepared for sentencing showed he had expressed some remorse but lacked insight into his behaviour.

"He does appear to minimise his offending," she said.

Fullford was taken into custody on the day he pleaded guilty, late in his trial, after his victims had testified.

He was sentenced on a string of charges including sexually touching, indecently assaulting, and having intercourse without consent.

With time served, he will be eligible for release in November 2032, and his sentence will expire in May 2038.

He was arrested in 2020.

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