Calgary massage therapist pleads guilty to sexually assaulting 6 female patients

On what was supposed to be the first day of his trial, a Calgary massage therapisthas pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting six women who came to him for treatment.

BradMcLellan, 49, admitted to sexually touching the women during their appointments between September and December 2015.

McLellan originally faced eight chargesbefore the prosecution and defence lawyers arranged a plea deal:four counts of sexual assault involving six victims.

In each case,McLellanwould have the woman lay on her backat the end of themassage and then touched her in her vaginal areawithoutconsent, according to an agreed statement of facts read aloud in court Monday morning.

In two of the cases, he penetrated the victimwith his fingers.

• Massage therapist Brad McLellan facing 4 new sex assault charges

In 2015,McLellan a registered massage therapist who practised in Calgary for eight years until the charges were laid was working at two clinics in downtown Calgary:ProActiveHealth GroupandCentennial Wellness.

In each case, McLellan'svictims had been referred to him by two chiropractors who worked at ProActiveand Centennial Wellness.

Thevictims had either received treatment from him in the past without incident or they were assaulted during their first visit.

McLellanliving in B.C.

In January2016, amonthafter Calgary police announced the first round of charges against McLellan, three more women came forward alleging they'd been assaulted during their appointments.

The next month, four more women went to police with similar complaints.

The other four counts of sexual assault were withdrawn by the Crown after the guilty pleas on Monday.

Court of Queen's Bench Janice Ashcroft agreed with prosecutors SarahGoard-Baker and Donna Spanner as well as defence lawyer Cory WilsonthatMcLellancould remain on bail until a sentencing hearinglater this year.

Before that happens, apsychiatric report must be completed and victim impact statementsprepared by the women.

McLellanwill remain out on bail living in B.C. with his wife and children until he is sentenced.