Doctor accused of sexually assaulting patient at Bournemouth clinic

Doctor Hongwei Dong made the woman strip to her underwear and then exclaimed 'woo-hoo' when he re-entered the room to see her semi-naked at the Bournemouth clinic, it is alleged.

The customer suffered from joint and muscular pain and Dong, 60, allegedly touched her intimately and told her it would help stimulate the feeling in her feet.

During another treatment session he gave the woman a massage after removing acupuncture needles from her naked body only to take the opportunity to sexually assault her, the jury was told.

WeCare Remedy in Bournemouth

Dong is said to have encouraged the woman, who is aged in her 30s, to touch herself at home to help improve circulation of her feet.

And after her run of six treatment sessions came to an end the doctor offered her a free herbal bath for them both, the court heard.

The vulnerable woman later confided in a relative about the alleged abuse and Dong was arrested.

He is charged with seven counts of sexual assault against the woman between October and December 2018 and has gone on trial at Bournemouth Crown Court.

Opening the prosecution's case, Tom Nicholson said the patient had previously been to the WeCare Remedy clinic in Commercial Road for alternative remedies to manage her pain.

He said when she went back in October 2018 found that her regular therapist had left and she could see 'Doctor David' which was a pseudonym Dong operated under.

Hongwei Dong

Prosecutor Mr Nicholson said: "At that time Hongwei Dong was acting as a doctor of Chinese medicine, providing acupuncture and massage. He did so to a vulnerable patient.

"He persuaded her that he was required to touch her breasts and vagina as part of his help with her condition. We say that was entirely misleading of him and indeed was a sexual assault.

"On the first of those sessions the defendant began administering acupuncture to her.

"In order to administer the needles she was to remove her clothes down to her underwear.

"The defendant went out of the room for her to get undressed. When he returned, he made a noise like 'woo-hoo!'"

Mr Nicholson described to the court how Dong then repeatedly sexually assaulted her during the six £250 sessions she had with him.

He said: "She was really shocked and began to realise that the touching was abuse rather than the treatment she had been led to believe.

"She spoke to an uncle who knew about acupuncture and realised she should not have been naked.

"She realised the treatment was to ensure she was aroused so she would be ready to have sex with him."

Mr Nicholson said the defendant had limited English and was not registered with the local authority for the administration of acupuncture.

Dong, of Shirley House Drive, Charlton, denies seven charges of sexual assault.

The trial continues.