Masseur Struck Off After Sexual Assault Convictions Involving Ten Women

A masseur who sexually assaulted ten women, including an underage girl, during home visits has been removed from the professional register following a nine-and-a-half-year prison sentence.
Yuliyan S Dimov, 47, from Enfield, was convicted at Wood Green Crown Court on May 2, 2024, of three counts of sexually assaulting an underage girl, eight counts of sexual assault on a female and eight counts of voyeurism. The Bulgarian national had been employed by Urban Massage, an at-home mobile massage service.
The Health and Care Professions Tribunal Service issued a striking-off order against Dimov on January 6, 2026. The tribunal determined that the “nature and gravity” of his convictions required the measure to protect the public and maintain professional standards.
Pattern of Abuse Uncovered
A police investigation commenced in 2022 after a woman reported sexual assault during a home massage. Officers subsequently contacted Dimov’s female clients, resulting in ten victims alleging sexual abuse.
Dimov was arrested on June 15, 2023, at Gatwick Airport whilst boarding a one-way flight to Bulgaria. Examination of his mobile phone revealed more than 30 photographs of different women taken without their knowledge during home visits.
According to the court, Dimov denied all allegations during his police interview and claimed the photographs were for professional use on his masseur website and Facebook business page. However, the judge described his claim of consent for the photographs as “a lie and a ridiculous one at that.”
Upper Tribunal Judge Hirst noted the images were taken surreptitiously from behind partially clothed victims face down on the massage bench. “All the photographs were taken from behind the victims, and from the quality of the shots, quite clearly, they were taken surreptitiously,” the judge stated. “It is simply not true that you obtained consent.”
Exploitation of Trust
One complainant noticed pauses during the massage and assumed Dimov was sipping water, unaware he was photographing her. The judge said Dimov had a “dangerous and distorted view” of his power over victims and “took advantage of their vulnerability,” including whilst they were alone, partially clothed and face down.
According to the court, Dimov became “more brazen” after no official complaints were made, committing assaults including finger penetration and performing oral sex. For one assault, Dimov claimed the woman “wordlessly asked” for oral sex over fears of a false rape claim.
The judge responded: “If your account was true, if you are as professional as you claimed to be, then all you had to say was, ‘No, I don’t do things like that’.”
Detective Constable Abigail Butler, lead investigator from the Metropolitan Police, said: “Dimov preyed on women who trusted him and were in a vulnerable state when he assaulted them. The great work carried out by officers to build this case is only overshadowed by the bravery of the women who came forward.”
She added: “We are dedicated to protecting vulnerable women and girls in London and we will do all we can to make them feel safe.”
Company Response
A client first reported an incident to Urban Massage in November 2021, leading to Dimov’s immediate removal from the platform and cancellation of future appointments, according to the company.
An Urban Massage spokesperson stated: “We were and remain appalled by this man’s disgraceful criminal behaviour and we are profoundly sorry that his victims endured such distressing experiences. They showed enormous courage in speaking out and we thank them for their bravery.”
The company said safety remains its highest priority. “Since this case, Urban has reviewed how safety information is presented to users and made reporting clearer and more prominent within the app, including encouraging people to report anything that doesn’t feel right, even if it seems minor, so concerns can be raised and acted on as early as possible.”
Urban Massage requires practitioners to complete DBS, identity, qualification, insurance and right-to-work checks.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​