Fake doctor gropes patients

A fake doctor known as the "bra man" groped the breasts of three female patients while treating them.
Owen Yaemes assaulted one woman by massaging her breast inside her bra as she lay on a treatment table. She says he then asked her to stand facing the wall before coming up behind her, grasping both breasts and pulling her back into his chest and thrusting his pelvis forward while sexually aroused.
Yaemes, who claimed to be a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine and practised acupuncture and massage, also assaulted two women by manhandling their breasts inside their bra cups while adjusting their bra fittings.
The 67-year-old Papamoa man, who practised under the name Owen Zhan from his home clinic owned by his wife, was on Thursday found guilty of three charges of indecent assault following a two-day defended hearing in Tauranga District Court.
Name suppression was lifted and he will be sentenced on April 18. Each charge attracts a maximum sentence of seven years' prison. All complaints related to acupuncture treatments.
Two victims testified Yaemes manhandled their breasts inside their bra cups under the pretext of adjusting their bra fittings during treatments in late 2006. The third victim said her breasts were groped during her only appointment with him in April last year.
The first victim said that during her fourth visit for a back complaint, Yaemes told her she was not wearing her bra correctly. He undid it, loosened the straps then stood in front of her and without warning placed his hands inside the cups, cupped her breasts and adjusted them.
She was "shocked' and "felt violated" and never went back.
The second victim, who sought treatment for a rib injury, said that during one visit Yaemes told her he was going to check she was wearing her bra correctly. He removed her bra completely, adjusted the straps, put it back on her and without warning cupped her breasts inside the bra and adjusted them, she said.
Yaemes, she said, told her he had been described by other patients as the "bra man".
Both women complained to police.
The third victim said Yaemes massaged her breast inside her bra as she lay on the treatment table before further assaulting her as she stood facing the wall. The woman was "shocked" and "screaming inside" and just wanted to flee as fast as she could.
Yaemes' lawyer David Bates challenged the woman, saying the incident never happened, and she had told Yaemes she was happy with the treatment. She denied this and insisted the abuse occurred. Some of the cross-examination by Mr Bates has been suppressed for legal reasons.
The woman saw Yaemes shake his head in court and shouted across the courtroom: "Don't shake your head Owen, you know what you did to me ... You molested me."
Detective Logan Nicholas said five complaints of indecent assault were made against Yaemes during 2007-2008 but no charges were laid because some complainants were reluctant to testify.
Yaemes told police he may have "gone over a grey line" and would stop adjusting bras. He denied manhandling women's breasts and was given an informal warning.
He said on two to three occasions he could recall giving women advice about adjusting their bras.
Yaemes rejected the accusation he became sexually aroused during her treatment saying it could not have happened because of medical reasons.
But Judge Thomas Ingram found Yaemes guilty.
Yaemes, he said, described himself on his business card as a doctor of traditional chinese medicine but had no formal qualifications, was not registered with any professional body and the extent of his knowledge and training could not be substantiated.
As part of his bail conditions, Yaemes is banned from treating any patients.