Physio who fondled affected person’s breasts and put one in his mouth is acquitted after choose accepts it was ‘educational analysis’

A physiotherapist who fondled a patient’s breasts and put one of her nipples in his mouth has been acquitted after the judge accepted his claim that it was just ‘academic research’.

The incident took place in Innsbruck, in the Austrian state of Tyrol, where the 44-year-old therapist stood trial on November 8 for the abuse of an authority relationship.

The woman, reportedly in her 30s, had gone to his practice for help with muscle tension, neck pain, and menstrual discomfort.

Instead of focusing on treatment, the man told the court he had been curious about how the woman’s breasts felt after she had implants fitted.

During his testimony, he said: ‘Yes, I felt up her breasts and put a nipple in my mouth.’

He explained that he wanted to know how implants felt because he hoped his wife might have breast enlargement surgery in future.

The man, who is also a father, said: ‘It was, so to speak, an academic research and I did not see her as a patient, but as a friend. I also asked if I could see them.’

The woman was reportedly a friend of both the therapist and his wife.

The incident took place in Innsbruck, in the Austrian state of Tyrol (File image of Innsbruck)

According to prosecutors, the act went further when he ‘licked’ one of her nipples, after which she told him to stop and to do that with his wife instead.

She later said that he had made sexist comments during previous appointments but that she had brushed them off at the time.

Judge Michael Bohler said the man’s account was ‘not entirely implausible’ and that the woman had taken off her bra herself.

The judge said before acquitting the defendant: ‘I see no sexual intent in this case.’