Brave victims help bring sexual predator to justice in St Albans

Four courageous women have helped bring a sexual predator to justice after he was convicted of assaulting them while working as a masseur at a St Albans hotel.

Today (Wednesday 14 January), Sovamsing David Muivah, aged 26, of Abbots Park in St Albans, was handed four prison sentences of two-and-a-half years each, to run concurrently, after being found guilty yesterday (Tuesday 13 January) of four counts of sexual assault by touching.

The offences took place at Sopwell House Hotel between February and October 2024 where Muivah – known as David – abused his position of trust to target women during massages. As Muivah pled not guilty to his crimes, the victims, aged in their 30s, 40s and 50s, had to endure the trauma of recounting their experiences in court.

One victim bravely reported the offence to the hotel and police in October 2024. Thanks to her courage, detectives from St Albans CID launched an investigation that identified three further victims from other parts of the country, all of whom were unknown to each other.

Detective Constable Oliver Virtue said: “These women have shown incredible strength. They were subjected to repeated sexual touching of intimate areas without their consent and then faced the ordeal of a trial and cross-examination. Their resilience ensured Muivah was convicted, and the public is now protected from his predatory behaviour.”

He added: “One victim described Muivah as ‘a sheep in wolf’s clothing’ – an accurate description of how he exploited a position meant to provide care and relaxation.”

The victims said today that they are relieved that he has been sentenced. Three of the victims admitted they feared they would not be believed – something Muivah was counting on.

His Honour Judge Mann (King’s Counsel) commended the bravery of the victims during sentencing, saying: “They are by definition in a vulnerable position – often face downwards, effectively naked. Entirely in your trust and that of Sopwell House. I have no doubt this was sexual. One word – violated – comes to mind. It has had a psychological consequence for each of them.”

The judge also praised the police investigation and Achieving Best Evidence (ABE) interviews, describing them as “professional and well executed, which minimised concerns to the victims, and a good presentation was made to the court.” 

After serving his custodial sentence, Muivah will be deported back to India.

Being a victim of a sexual offence is never your fault. If you’ve been affected, please report it. Specialist officers are here to support you throughout the process:

Anyone in Hertfordshire who has experienced sexual abuse or sexual violence can contact the Herts Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) for practical and emotional support:
📞 0330 223 0099 | 🌐 hertssarc.org