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A disgraced Dunedin healer has been sentenced to home detention for indecently assaulting a client who came to him for help with back pain.

Sonny Hang Chin, 68, appeared before Judge Hermann Retzlaff in the Dunedin District Court today after earlier admitting one charge of indecent assault.

The court heard the victim, then in her 30s, visited Chin’s home clinic in June 2015 after being recommended by a colleague.

At her second appointment, while she lay fully clothed on a massage table, Chin spoke to her about “energy and chi” before accusing her of using her body to manipulate men.

He then stood over her, grabbing her legs and arms, before cupping both her breasts without warning or consent.

The woman paid and left immediately, and later described feeling “attacked” and demeaned by the experience.

When questioned by police, Chin said he did not remember the woman.

Crown prosecutor Craig Power said the crime was “clearly premeditated” for Chin’s own sexual gratification.

He said that in a pre-sentencing report, Chin disputed part of what had happened and seemed to have pleaded guilty for “pragmatic reasons”.

Judge Retzlaff said the offending represented a “gross breach of trust”, that the victim had sought help while in extreme physical pain, and had been taken advantage of by someone in a position of authority.

“She came to you at a time of real need,” the judge said.

“The memory of what you did has continued to haunt her.”

Chin was previously sentenced to three years and three months’ imprisonment in 2023 for indecent assaults on seven other women, offences that took place over a similar period.

He was released on parole earlier this year.

Today, Judge Retzlaff suggested Chin still lacked insight into his behaviour, though acknowledged he was under stringent parole conditions and had self-referred to a psychologist for counselling.

He also acknowledged Chin had complied with electronic monitoring and self-funded counselling since being released on parole for his earlier offending.

Judge Retzlaff sentenced Chin to four months’ home detention.

Ben Tomsett is a multimedia journalist based in Dunedin. He joined the Herald in 2023.