Former B.C. massage therapist issued ban, fine for misconduct that included inappropriate touching
FILE: A massage table is seen in this undated photo. (Shutterstock)
Vancouver -
Warning: this story contains details some readers may find disturbing.
A former massage therapist in Kelowna has been banned from registering with the provincial college and ordered to pay a fine after a disciplinary panel found that he touched and exposed three women inappropriately while massaging them.
The allegations against Robert Morgan come from patients he treated in September 2015, February 2017 and April 2017.
In each case, the panel found that Morgan had failed to properly drape the female clients' bodies, exposing their breasts when it wasn't necessary to do so for therapeutic reasons. He also massaged each woman's breasts for a non-therapeutic purpose, according to the panel's decision on his conduct, which was issued earlier this year.
The panel also found that Morgan had failed to communicate appropriately with two of the women and had improperly exposed and touched one woman's buttocks.
Morgan informed the panel that he would not contest the citation he received from the College of Massage Therapists of B.C. detailing these allegations, but also did not and would not admit to them. He did not renew his registration with the college in February 2019.
The disciplinary panel issued its decision on punishment for Morgan earlier this week, saying his conduct was "at the most serious end of the spectrum" due to its sexual nature.
"There were multiple instances of the conduct over a prolonged period of time," the panel wrote. "And the respondent abused his position of power, authority (and) trust, and misled his patients."
Further, the panel concluded that Morgan's lack of a previous disciplinary record from the college did not mitigate the seriousness of his offences, because the offences began shortly after he became a registered massage therapist.
The panel ordered the cancellation of Morgan's registration with the college and banned him from reapplying for registration for a period of five years.
Morgan must also pay a $5,000 fine and $20,000 in costs to the college, and must take a remedial education course approved by the college, the panel ruled.
Failure to pay his costs or complete his course will render Morgan ineligible to reapply for registration with the college even after the five-year ban period expires.
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