Woman says tarot card reading prompted her to report sex assault

The woman told a jury at Teesside Crown Court her breasts were groped during a sports massage by David Facchini.

Facchini, 47, of Windermere Road, Hartlepool, is alleged to have rubbed the woman’s breasts and removed her knickers before throwing them across the room.

Facchini denies sexual assault.

The court heard the woman decided not to contact the police immediately after the massage - but did so several months later after the card reading.

She said: “The cards were lovely. It was a really good reading.

“Then there was a snake - some unfinished business.

“I immediately thought of the massage. I was annoyed with myself at the time for not reporting it, so I knew I had to do something.”

She added: “I hope this case will stop him. He obviously needs help.”

The court heard earlier that Facchini massaged the woman’s breasts for about five seconds in a figure of eight motion.

She told the jury: “He stopped when I told him I didn’t need my breasts massaging because they are not muscles.

“Then he whipped my knickers off. It was like a magician, I still don’t know how he did it.”

She said Facchini left the massage room at that point.

The woman said: “I got dressed and left as quickly as I could.

“I wanted to cry, so went for a walk to get the tears out.

“I’m generally a positive person, so having got myself back into a happy place I didn’t want to go through it all again at the time by reporting it.”

Facchini told the jury he had given the woman massages in the past, and there had been no complaints.

“The first thing I knew about this was when the police came to arrest me,” said Facchini

“Nothing improper happened during the massage.

“I did not massage her breasts, and I did not remove her knickers.”

He added: “She was fine when she left, very relaxed as clients often are after a massage.

“She was not at all distressed.

“There was nothing that happened that day which gave me any cause for concern.”

The court heard Facchini has several diplomas and qualifications in massage.

He has no previous convictions, reprimands, or cautions.

Proceeding.