MATTHEW PRIEST AND SHOCKING SEXUAL ASSAULTS IN EDINBURGH
A sports therapist named Matthew Priest has been sentenced to prison for sexually abusing more than 20 male clients during massage sessions in Edinburgh.The offences spanned several years and involved the deliberate fondling of clients after they sought treatment for muscle injuries at his business.
Priest, aged 41, conducted a series of sexual assaults over a three-year period, primarily taking place at his residence in Edinburgh, where he ran a business called The Edinburgh Massage.
His victims included individuals who had contacted him initially to receive professional treatment for muscle injuries, trusting his expertise as a sports therapist.
During court proceedings, Priest admitted to six incidents of sexual assault that occurred in December 2018.
As part of his initial sentence, he was handed a five-year Sexual Offenders Prevention Order, a two-year supervision order, and was required to complete unpaid work.
However, following extensive media coverage and public interest in the case, additional victims came forward to police, revealing they had been similarly assaulted by Priest.
This new information prompted further investigation.
In a subsequent hearing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last month, Priest pleaded guilty to a further 15 counts of sexual assault against unsuspecting male clients.
The court was told that these assaults occurred in settings including his home and possibly other locations, where Priest would perform massages involving full removal of clothing and invasive touching of the groin area.
Sheriff Donald Corke sentenced Priest to 16 months in prison and ordered him to register as a sex offender for the next ten years.
During sentencing, the sheriff emphasized the severity and planning behind Priest’s actions, describing his conduct as clearly harmful and a betrayal of the trust placed in him by his clients.
The sheriff also pointed out that Priest had charged his clients fees for services that included the inappropriate acts.
The prosecutor, Susan Dickson, highlighted that the victims included a variety of individuals such as students, amateur runners, and even an Edinburgh Fringe performer who initially sought treatment for muscle injuries.
Most of these men had contacted Priest after reading glowing reviews of his services online.
In some cases, victims reported that Priest approached them in changing rooms at gyms, offering help for their injuries, which later turned into sexual misconduct.
Most of the victims could not be publicly identified due to legal restrictions, but they reported that they initially thought the inappropriate touching was accidental, only to realize later that it was intentional and sexual in nature.
In his defense, solicitor Matthew Nicolson explained that all of Priest’s offences took place within the same general timeframe and described his client as a changed man who is trying to rebuild his life.
Nicolson added that Priest had started two new businesses, including a photography company, and had no plans to return to the field of sports therapy.
He acknowledged the gravity of the charges, noting that prison was a serious possibility given the nature of the offences.
It was also revealed that Priest admitted to sexually assaulting 15 men at his Easter Road residence between January 2015 and June 2018.
At the time of the offences, he offered advanced sports massage sessions at £45 per hour, a service then advertised on his now-closed website.
This case underscores the importance of vigilance when seeking professional health and treatment services, as trust can be exploited in devastating ways.
Priest’s actions have not only caused significant harm to his victims but also left a mark of betrayal on the community’s confidence in health professionals.
