'Daytime TV' psychic sexually assaulted women during tarot card readings

A "psychic" who claimed to have starred as a clairvoyant on daytime TV has been jailed after sexually assaulting two women during tarot card readings. John Starkey, 74, told one customer in her 20s she needed "spiritual cleansing" by removing her clothes before attacking her - then a holidaymaker visiting his Llandudno shop suffered a sex attack when also told to strip to her underwear.

At Caernarfon Crown Court, Starkey, from Upper Colwyn Bay, North Wales, admitted three sex assault charges and was jailed for four years and five months. He admitted one charge of assault on a female 13 or over with penetration between April and October 2018, and two counts of sexual assault on a female by touching related to December 2018 and October 2022.

The court heard the woman in her 20s had attended two readings with Starkey - first, he sexually assaulted her in Wolverhampton.

Then he told her she had a "gift for tarot card reading" and he would put her in touch with a "witch" - and she was tricked into attending a "gathering" in London.

But the court heard she was instead lured to a hotel room and while she was wearing just her pants and a coat, Starkey appeared in his boxer shorts and a robe and touched her.

Prosecutor Elen Owen said the victim later went to police, but he was never charged.

Four years later, in October 2022, Starkey attacked a second woman while she was on holiday for a "clairvoyant consultation", this time in his shop in Llandudno, North Wales.

The subject of "aura cleansing" came up, the court heard, and a massage was recommended.

Ms Owen said "she was told to strip down to her underwear," before he sexually assaulted her. Police were then alerted.