Massage therapist facing new charge after 2nd alleged sex assault victim comes forward

A massage therapist previously charged with sexual assault is facing an additional charge after a second alleged victim came forward, York Regional Police confirmed in a release on Monday.

Investigators with the York Regional Police Special Victims Unit say the suspect, Philip Lau, worked at clinics in Newmarket and Richmond Hill.

In the first instance, a client at a clinic in the Yonge Street and Savage Road area of Richmond Hill came forward, claiming they were sexually assaulted by Lau during a massage, prompting police to charge him.

After that charge was reported, police said another person had come forward with a similar allegation.

“On September 11, 2024, following media coverage, a second victim reported they had been sexually assaulted during visits to a clinic in the City of Richmond Hill that occurred in August 2024,” a release states.

Lau, 54, of Georgina, Ont., now faces two counts of sexual assault.