Body piercer raped and attacked women, court told

The trial of Paul Saunders, a body piercer from Ipswich who is charged with rape and sexual assault, is under way at Ipswich Crown Court

A body piercer accused of raping and sexually assaulting "vulnerable" clients and other women was described as a "cunning and manipulative predator" on the opening day of his trial.

Paul Saunders, who runs Scarz&Barz on Eagle Street in Ipswich, faces three counts of rape and seven counts of sexual assault.

The alleged offences, all of which Mr Saunders denies, involve nine women and were said to have been carried out between 2012 and 2020.

At Ipswich Crown Court, prosecutor Rossano Scamardella KC said the 51-year-old would become aroused by intimate piercings. The trial, expected to last until December, continues.

Paul Saunders owns the Scarz&Barz piercing studio on Eagle Street, Ipswich

The court heard Mr Saunders would take pictures of vaginas and breasts he had pierced before putting them in a hidden and password-protected folder on his phone.

The prosecution said he saved them "for his own sexual gratification".

It was also alleged Mr Saunders would make "inappropriate remarks about the size of women's breasts" during intimate procedures and ask clients to hug him after piercings "in a sexual way".

The jury was also told about how a five-minute piercing would often take Mr Saunders 45 minutes, which his staff felt was "unusual" and could indicate something "more sinister at play".

Mr Scamardella KC said Mr Saunders established himself as a "prominent" figure and a "man of status" within Ipswich after featuring in a TV documentary.

He was a man who was "trusted" by young women with mental health issues, Mr Scamardella KC added, but "something sinister lurked behind".

The trial at Ipswich Crown Court was told Mr Saunders was a "cunning and manipulative sexual predator", but the defendant denies all charges

Addressing the jury, he said: "Mr Saunders was sexually aroused by his work and used his profession as a piercer to mask the sordid reality.

"He assaulted some of the women during intimate piercings, pretending the sexual touching was no more than the piercing demanded.

"These procedures are invasive, sensitive and incredibly intimate, and he preyed upon feelings of embarrassment and awkwardness and exploited weaknesses of those who trusted him.

"But he also assaulted women outside of work and it was common for him to contact women after a procedure. He was opportunistic."

'Crying and scared'

One of those women who Mr Saunders, also known by his nickname "Poz", was alleged to have attacked told police she was assaulted at his home.

After missing her bus, prosecutors said she agreed to go to his flat where she froze after a topless Mr Saunders reportedly started to take her clothes off.

"Crying", "hyperventilating" and "scared", she managed to flee the flat without her bra and socks on before her friend picked her up, finding her "white as a ghost and shaking life a leaf", the court heard.

Mr Saunders allegedly raped another woman after she confided in him after receiving treatment for cancer and allegedly assaulted a woman he had initially met aged 17 while she slept.

The court was also told about an account Mr Saunders created on FetLife - a social media site that serves those interested in bondage, domination and fetishism.

The defendant was alleged to have uploaded photos of vaginal piercings he had carried out to the site.

On his profile, Mr Saunders described himself as having "big hands to spank you and strength to pin you".

Mr Saunders said the claims were "invented", Mr Scamardella KC said.

The trial continues.