Therapist Sentenced to 11 Years for Sexual Abuse Under Guise of Therapy
A Sussex-based therapist, Gerald Peck, has been handed an 11-year prison sentence after being convicted of five sexual offences, following a disturbing case where he exploited his position to abuse a vulnerable client under the pretence of providing therapeutic healing. The sentencing took place at Lewes Crown Court, where Judge Mooney condemned Peck as "a charlatan and a fraud" for his actions.
Details of the Abuse and Conviction
Gerald Peck, who maintained live profiles promoting himself as a bodywork psychotherapist, was charged in October 2024 and convicted on 2 February. The court heard that Peck had been banned from practising by the Bioenergetics Institute in the late 1980s due to previous incidents of sexual abuse under the guise of therapy. Despite this, he continued to operate, misleading clients about his qualifications.
In his sentencing remarks, Judge Mooney stated: "The young woman who came to see you believed you could help her at a particularly difficult time in her life. She had every reason to trust you, but you lied about being a qualified bioenergetics practitioner. You used your position to sexually abuse women, and since your ban, you have been nothing more than a charlatan and a fraud." Peck was also ordered to pay £9,730 in damages to cover the victim's therapy and recovery costs.
Victim's Harrowing Experience and Impact
The victim, who sought Peck's help for depression and anxiety based on a friend's recommendation, described how the so-called therapy sessions escalated into severe abuse. She reported that Peck encouraged frequent, lengthy sessions involving nudity and inappropriate touching, claiming it could "heal birth trauma" or provide "energy release." This included penetrative acts and oral sex, which he framed as therapeutic.
In a statement read at sentencing, the victim said: "[Peck] caused profound and lasting damage to my mental and physical health, and to every part of my life. More than five years later, I still experience terrifying flashbacks. I have lived with constant worry that other women are likely still being harmed by him." She emphasized that she pursued the case to prevent further abuse and advocate for laws banning therapists from having sexual contact with clients.
Challenges in the Legal Process
The case faced significant delays and obstacles in the legal system. Initially reported to police in February 2021, it was dropped two months later due to insufficient evidence, as authorities failed to recognize the power imbalance in the therapist-client relationship. After a review prompted by the Survivors' Network in June, the case was reopened in September, but progress stalled until the victim filed a formal complaint in January 2024.
Nogah Ofer, a lawyer at the Centre for Women's Justice, criticized the process, stating: "It's completely outrageous how difficult it's been to get this case to court. The lack of regulation for therapists is concerning, leaving vulnerable people at risk of quacks." The victim added that the prolonged investigation and trial were "as traumatic as the actual abuse," describing the experience as hellish.
Calls for Regulation and Systemic Change
This case underscores a growing problem of unregulated therapists abusing clients and continuing to practise without oversight. Catriona Rubens, a human rights solicitor at Leigh Day, noted that she receives about three reports per month of sexual and emotional abuse by therapists, with few options for redress due to police struggles in understanding therapy dynamics.
Sojan Joseph, chair of the all-party parliamentary group on mental health, expressed support for government measures to strengthen safeguards. Campaigners, including Ella Janneh who waived anonymity after a similar case, are pushing for mandatory regulation to protect the public from such abuses in the therapy profession.
The victim's ordeal highlights the urgent need for formal oversight to prevent predators from exploiting vulnerable individuals under the cover of alternative therapies.
