Hypnotist sexually assaulted women treated at his home

A FORMER hypnotist who sexually preyed on 10 women was jailed for four years yesterday.

Richard Tilley, aged 67, used relaxation techniques on vulnerable victims who came to his home in Derry before he carried out the indecent assaults.

Women aged between 22 and 60, who wanted to beat addictions, overcome previous sexual abuse or bereavement, were all exploited, Derry Crown Court heard.

Sentencing Tilley to four years in jail and a further two years on probation, Judge Corinne Philpott told him: “You have acted in an appalling manner. You have duped and taken in vulnerable and naive women who came to you to be helped.”

Tilley pleaded guilty to a total of 21 offences between March 2002 and October 2004. The abuse happened at a clinic he set up at his Brentwood Park home in the city’s Foyle Springs area.

The former RAF man, who worked under the professional name Richard Glenn, specialised in helping clients stop smoking. But he also offered hypnotherapy as well as laser and acupuncture treatment.

The women he assaulted were regularly persuaded to undress before Tilley would touch and fondle their breasts and groin areas.

A laser pen which he told them was part of the treatment was used to indecently assault at least one of his victims, while another woman told police he had assaulted her with his fingers.

None of the 10 he abused were ever hypnotised, but on some occasions their partners were waiting outside his surgery while the attacks were carried out.

He urged one 24-year-old who went to be treated for stress, anxiety and sexual problems not to reveal how she had been stripped and massaged naked.

Barrister Jacqueline Orr, prosecuting, said: “After he finished he told her not to mention it to anyone because some people might find it a bid odd.”

She had recalled feeling uncomfortable when Tilley asked her to remove her trousers and told her it would be beneficial if he inserted his laser pen into her vagina, the court was told.

“The complainant expressed concern about this and said in her statement she felt panicky,” Ms Orr said. “But he told her to think about that for the next session.”

Ms Orr stressed that even though none of the women were actually hypnotised, they had all been made to feel fully relaxed by Tilley.

Naked massages, inappropriate touching and use of his laser pen featured heavily in many of the cases.

Defence barrister Martin Rodgers pleaded for leniency because of Tilley’s previous clear record and due to the stress the case brought upon his family, particularly his terminally ill wife.

Tilley was also banned from practising as a hypnotherapist and ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for life.

Some of his victims were in court for the sentencing, but declined to comment on the outcome.