Sex attack hypnotherapist jailed

Police said Dyer abused his clients' trust in the worst possible way

A hypnotherapist has been jailed for sexually abusing his female clients.

Stephen Dyer, 50, of Dover Road Folkstone, was sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court to five years in prison on seven counts of sexual assault.

He was arrested in January 2007 after a woman in her 20s, who was treated at his Hawkes Lane offices in Canterbury, reported a sexual assault to police.

Judge Adele Williams told Dyer, who denied the charges, he had treated his patients with "callous indifference".

Dyer was found guilty by a jury on Wednesday.

'Preyed on women'

Dyer was also given an order stopping him working as a hypnotherapist, psychotherapist or counsellor and was ordered to sign the sex offenders' register.

Det Sgt Emma Atkins said: "Stephen Dyer is a calculating man who preyed on women's vulnerabilities for his own sexual gratification.

"He used his training as a hypnotherapist and psychotherapist to groom his clients, gain their confidence and abuse their trust in the worst possible way."

She added: "We only hope that those that have suffered at his hands can now find the professional help they deserve, although for some the road to recovery will be difficult as they and their families will have to learn to trust another therapist.

"We would also like to thank the victims and witnesses who came forward and those that gave evidence for the purpose of preventing Stephen Dyer from manipulating and abusing the trust of any other client."