An Adelaide massage therapist charged with sexually assaulting two female clients indecently recorded up to 200 other women at a beachside clinic, a court has heard.
The 35-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared in the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court charged with seven sexual offences against two alleged victims at the clinic in Adelaide's western suburbs.
He applied for home detention bail on Monday on the grounds he was not a risk to the community and would not flee the country.
But prosecutors opposed bail, saying the "sheer number" of potential victims was substantial and police had taken statements from a further 13 women.
Magistrate Paul Foley heard that 10 of those victims had made a complaint of indecent assault and three of those would be coupled with an indecent filming charge.
The court heard there were a further three victims of indecent filming.
Prosecutors told the court police had identified 721 indecent images on the man's phone that related to between 150 and 200 women — many of whom were face-down on the massage table in various stages of undress.
"The offending appears to be extremely widespread and obviously extremely serious," prosecutor Brevet Sergeant Nicholas Fatchen said.
Marie Shaw QC, appearing for the man, submitted most of the allegations against her client were for indecent filming – a charge considered a less serious criminal offence.
She said he had the presumption in favour of bail, could be tracked electronically, could work from home selling solar parts and was not a flight risk.
Home detention bail denied
"He's a 35-year-old man with no previous convictions … he's never been in prison before," Ms Shaw said.
"There's no basis to suggest he would reoffend and there's no basis to suggest he's a flight risk."
Ms Shaw added it would take three years before the case could be finalised at trial.
But the prosecutor said the charges were serious, as the man faced three rape charges, which would attract a prison sentence if guilty.
He said the prosecution had a strong case against the man and feared he would flee back to his home country as he was not an Australian citizen.
"He has a very strong incentive to flee," he submitted to the court.
He also said if the man was given a "pass out" from home detention bail, he could run into potential victims, given the sheer number of them.
"There's a significant risk he would run into various victims. I'm not suggesting he would seek them out, but the safety and protection of the victims is paramount," he said.
Magistrate Foley denied the man home detention bail, saying the charges were too serious.
