Sentencing date for former Surrey massage therapist to be set Nov. 12

The sentencing hearing for former Surrey massage therapist Leonard Krekic ended Friday, Oct. 16, in B.C. Supreme Court in New Westminster. The proceedings lasted two days and were heard by Justice Lance Bernard. Krekic’s next appearance is scheduled for Nov. 12 to set a date for the sentencing decision. He also has ties to White Rock and Penticton.

Krekic was found guilty in May of 12 counts of sexual assault. The verdict followed a 35-day trial concerning incidents alleged to have occurred at or near Surrey between Dec. 30, 1994, and April 25, 2017. Publication bans prohibit information that could identify victims or witnesses.

In July 2023, Surrey police announced charges against Krekic, then 51, in connection with sexual assault allegations and appealed to the public for more information. The release described him as a White Rock resident and said he had practised at two Penticton clinics in 2018 and 2019. The charges mentioned in that release involved eight patients. During the period specified, Krekic was working at a clinic in the 10300-block of 136A Street.

In December 2022, the College of Massage Therapists banned Krekic from the profession for 25 years and ordered him to pay more than $105,000 over workplace sexual misconduct. That disciplinary matter concerned incidents alleged by six female patients to have occurred between 2012 and 2019. The maximum sentence for sexual assault is 10 years in prison.