Masseur Weiqing Liu faces sentencing in ACT Supreme Court for rape

Weiqing Liu, 34, raped or indecently assaulted six women while providing remedial massage services at a traditional Chinese medicine clinic in Phillip between November 2019 and October 2021.

All of the women had been seeking remedy for injuries, ailments and, in one case, undergoing fertility treatment.

Instead of providing professional care, Liu digitally raped three women and touched the genitals of three others.

In an agreed statement of facts tendered to the ACT Supreme Court on Monday, the women described freezing in fear and shock.

Some of the victims described pulling their legs tightly together in an attempt prevent Liu from touching their genitals.

Another tried to build up the courage to scream.

Liu previously pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual intercourse without consent, and five counts of committing an act of indecency without consent.

The agreed facts state one of the victims visited the clinic to treat pain in her neck, shoulder, arm, and as a result of carpal tunnel.

Liu treated the woman at least a dozen times before he raped her on the massage table.

After the rape, the woman received an acupuncture treatment, performed by another person, before Liu returned and said: "What did you say to [the acupuncturist]?"

The victim sighed and replied: "Nothing."

Afterwards, the woman got dressed, went to reception, paid her bill and made two more appointments as she had done previously, knowing she would not return.

She did not say anything at the time, thinking no one would believe her.

Another victim felt Liu press his erect penis against her arm, near her elbow.

She thought it was an accident and "felt embarrassed" for Liu, agreed facts state.

Later, during another massage, Liu pressed his erect penis against her arm again.

Many of the victims contacted police after media reports of his arrest in October 2021.

On Monday one of the women read a poem to the court, composed as part of a victim impact statement, in an effort to detail the consequences of Liu's actions.

The woman told the court she wrote poems "for each challenging period of my life".

"I know why the caged bird sings," she said.

"Her wings are clipped and her feet are tied so she opens her throat to sing.

"She sings with a fearful trill ... but the caged bird sings of freedom."

The woman told the court Liu, known to her as William, "had such a wonderful caring manner and he seemed concerned about my physical ailments".

"Little did I suspect that he would sexually assault me repeatedly on the massage table," she said.

"Traumatic memories of his assault are forever burned into my consciousness.

"I feel his wickedness has been stamped onto my body ... [has] put me in this cage of trauma."

In his sentencing submissions, counsel for Liu, Kieran Ginges, argued his client did not commit the crimes for sexual gratification, rather stating the man had a "financial motive".

In what Mr Ginges described as "a reasonable explanation", Liu "thought that by providing such a service he would be enticing them to return and they would in fact recommend their friends".

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"He grossly misconceived this as an opportunity to receive further clients and further referrals," Mr Ginges said.

"[At the time Liu] believes completely erroneously he is pleasing them in providing sexual services.

"If he was grinning or salivating or acting in some way that might suggest he was sexually aroused that would have made its way into the facts.

"[Liu] engages in opportunistic assaults on these women and not receiving as it were any objection."

Mr Ginges argued only one of the victims had reported Liu having an erection.

In a letter written to his victims, Liu asked for forgiveness, saying he felt sorry for the distress and "irreversible harm" caused.

Prosecutor Lewis Etheredge labelled Liu's claims a "self-serving" attempt to "minimise his actions".

"That explanation does not fit in with the agreed facts and doesn't make sense as a plausible explanation," Mr Etheredge said.

"It was for sexual gratification."

Justice David Mossop is set to hand down Liu's sentence on Tuesday.

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