Marmion naturopath pleads not guilty to sexual assault charges

A MARMION naturopath will defend the latest assault charges against him.

Mauricio Bascunan Cabrera (36) pleaded not guilty in Joondalup Magistrates Court this morning to two counts of sexual penetration without consent and 28 counts of unlawful assault between 2008 and 2017.

Magistrate Joe Randazzo remanded him on bail to appear in the same court for a police committal mention on November 12.

He had already pleaded not guilty on a previous occasion to 11 counts of assault after police accused him and his brother Rodrigo of sexually assaulting female patients while working at the Marmion business they co-owned, West Coast Natural Therapy Clinic.

Rodrigo Bascunan Cabrera (40) is facing eight charges, including four counts of sexual penetration without consent and four counts of unlawful assault, allegedly committed between 2012 and 2017 on six women.

His case was adjourned on Wednesday in Joondalup Magistrates Court to September 19.

Mauricio Bascunan Cabrera’s lawyer today applied for a change to his bail conditions to reflect that Mr Bascunan Cabrera could be in a new address by his next hearing as he had to be out of his Edgewater rental property by the end of October.

Mr Randazzo denied the request and said if and when the address changed, an application could be made to the court.

Mr Bascunan Cabrera’s lawyer argued he had been on bail since March, did not have a criminal record, reported to police three times a week and was not a flight risk.

“I’m not saying it is (a flight risk),” Mr Randazzo replied, before reasserting an application would have to be made to the court on any address change.