A CHURCH elder exposed himself to a beauty therapist during a hotel massage treatment, Selkirk Sheriff Court has been told.

Retired businessman Charles Fraser – who is also a Children’s Panel advisory committee clerk – was having a full body massage in the spa room of the plush Barony Castle Hotel in Eddleston, near Peebles, when he committed the offence on May 23.

During a one-hour session, the 66-year-old told a female therapist an abdomen massage was his favourite.

When the therapist turned round after getting more massage oil, she found an aroused Fraser had removed the towel, and was lying on his back with his hands above his head.

The distraught woman fled the room, describing the accused as “a perv” to a colleague.

Married Fraser claimed his behaviour was related to the after effects of treatment for prostate cancer.

Prosecutor Tessa Bradley told Selkirk Sheriff Court how Fraser and his wife Maureen had been in the hotel bar, when he asked the beauty therapist to book a massage appointment.

She explained: “He said he wanted a full body massage, and a one-hour appointment was made. She showed him through to the spa facility, and he told her how he had had cancer and radiotherapy. He asked her about the hotel policy on underwear, and was told that he should keep it on. He was left to change and when she returned, he was lying face up on the treatment table.

“He was talking about previous massage treatments and repeatedly said that an abdomen massage was his favourite.

“She would normally do that but was feeling uncomfortable by the tenor of his conversation, and decided to try to avoid it.

“He was asked to move on to his stomach, and the therapist continued to massage his back.

“She noticed that he stopped talking, and began moving his hips and, as she was massaging his lower back, he began complimenting her, saying, “do you do that for everyone.

“He said that his buttocks and abdomen were his favourite parts to be massaged and specifically requested her to do that.

“The therapist told him to move over on to his back and tucked the towel into the waistband of his underwear.

“When she turned back after getting massage oil, he had removed the towel and was exposing his erect penis.

“She immediately moved the towel back, as she felt obligated to continue with the treatment, although she felt uncomfortable When the therapist again found Fraser with the towel moved down, exposing his penis, she fled the room.

Ms Bradley continued:”“She was so disturbed she said she didn’t want to see him and told a colleague, “You’ll have to take his payment. He’s a perv.

“She was visibly shaking and distraught.” Fraser paid and also left a tip.

After the duty manager was informed of what had happened, it was agreed to notify the police.

During interview, Fraser confirmed he had been told to keep his underwear on and confirmed he had requested his buttocks be massaged.

Ms Bradley said: “He said he may have lowered the towel, and admitted being aroused.” Fraser’s solicitor confirmed her client had been receiving treatment for prostate cancer for two years.

She explained: “One of the treatments is injections which stop the production of testosterone. Active treatment ended in January 2013, and monitoring continues, but the effect of the treatment continues for some time.

“During the course of the massage he began to feel aroused, and that was the first time in two years that he had had those feelings.

“An abdominal massage was part of the full body massage – it is not a sinister or unusual thing, and it is not a sexual thing. He previously lived in Elgin and a massage therapist there suggested it to him as a good type of massage for relaxation. He had has this massage before, with no effects of this nature.

“He accepts his behaviour was completely unacceptable and is nothing short of mortified over how he behaved.” Fraser, a first offender, of St David’s Gardens, Dalkeith, Midlothian, has been involved in voluntary work since his retirement. He is a church elder and clerk of a Children’s panel advisory committee. He has been married for 43 years and had been staying overnight in the hotel with his wife.

The lawyer added: “He deeply regrets his action and realises that the lady should not have been subjected to such behaviour.

“He puts it down to the effects of the medication he had been on. He was extremely relaxed and uninhibited, which caused him act in a way he would never normally behave.” Fraser pleaded guilty to a charge of intentionally exposing his genitals in a sexual manner towards the woman with the intention she would see them and expose his penis.

Sentence was deferred until February 2 for reports, and Fraser was placed on the Sex Offender’s Register.