Italian masseur who sexually assaulted Perth clients will spend years in jail before being deported

An Italian freelance massage therapist will remain behind bars until at least 2018 then faces deportation after he sexually assaulted six women in Perth over five months.

Marcello Scariati, 30, has been in custody at Yongah Hill Immigration Detention Centre in Northam since July.

His victims were assaulted between February and June last year while he was working as a massage therapist at businesses in Scarborough and Hillarys, and he also indecently exposed himself to a woman at North Beach.

He was sentenced in the West Australian District Court today to four-and-a-half years in jail and must serve at least two-and-a-half years.

The court heard some victims resisted, telling Scariati during the massage sessions "I don't feel comfortable with this" or making an excuse to go to the toilet then leave.

One woman had a panic attack then called her boyfriend in tears to tell him what happened.

The woman at the beach had said "no" and pushed Scariati away when he suddenly kissed her, telling him "you know you're not meant to do this - it's illegal" when he pulled down his pants.

He was arrested after a victim told one of the salon owners, then more came forward after police called for information from the public.

The court heard Scariati had studied tantric massage and never told his clients he intended to use the sensual technique.

"You gave no indication that you would employ an unusual massage technique," Judge Anette Schoombee said.

"You committed some serious offending. They were very vulnerable when they were in an undressed state alone with you in a room."

Judge Schoombee accepted a psychologist's view that the offending was sexually motivated but Scariati had "cognitive distortions" in justifying his behaviour.

She didn't believe his limited grasp of English explained his conduct.

"I do not accept that you simply laboured under a misunderstanding," Judge Schoombee said.

The court heard the university-educated man arrived in Perth in 2012 and was in line to work at the Italian Consulate but that didn't eventuate, so he fell back on massage work.

Scariati was only married for three months when the offending began but his wife remains supportive.

He sobbed when Judge Schoombee said his parents, who were police officers and had travelled from Italy to visit him, were ashamed of his actions.