Former Saskatoon massage therapist Mark Donlevy gets four-year sentence for sex assaults on female clients - CBC.ca

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WARNING: This story contains details some readers may find disturbing

Former Saskatoon massage therapist Mark Donlevy has been sentenced to four years in prison for sexually assaulting six female clients.


Justice Brian Scherman sentenced the 51-year-old at Court of Queen's Bench in Saskatoon today.

Donlevy, a former soldier and fire fighter, admitted to assaulting the women who came for treatment in his home-based studio between 2009 and 2016.

Prior to his sentence being announced, Donlevy made an apology in the courtroom.

"From deepest depths of my heart, I am regretful, remorseful and truly sorry," he said.

Prosecutor Sheryl Fillo had argued for a six-and-a-half year sentence. Defence lawyer Alan McIntyre said two to three years would be more appropriate.

McIntyre said that Donlevy accepts responsibility for what he did and is both remorseful and repentant and that the assaults were, "in the main, fleeting, touching cases" and were on the lower end of the sexual assault scale.

"Six-and-a-half years is excessive for offences of this nature," he said.

Fillo said that what Donlevy did constituted a massive breach of trust.

The women were trusting of him due to his background as a firefighter and a first aid course teacher. The majority of the assaults happened at Donlevy's home, where he had a dedicated space for his massage business.

Fillo related testimony from the victims describing his crude advances made while they were stripped and vulnerable.

"Haha, I'm groping your breasts," Donlevy said to one woman.

And to another, while digitally penetrating her vagina: "Just loosen up."

Donlevy is already serving a three year sentence for an earlier unrelated sexual assault. That matter is under appeal.