Gym owner and former Mr NZ jailed for 11 years for sex abuse

Garry Jones during sentencing. Photo / Stephen Parker

A former Mr New Zealand and Whakatane gym owner jailed for sex offences is a threat to "little innocent souls", according to one of his eight victims.

Garry John Jones, 63, was sentenced in the High Court at Rotorua today to 11 years' imprisonment. He was found guilty by a jury in November of 45 charges of sexual offending in the 1970s and 1980s in the Eastern Bay of Plenty. His victims were aged between 5 and 16 at the time.

Jones owned Sunny Gymz in Whakatane, before moving to Auckland.

In sentencing, Justice John Fogarty said Jones' victims were clearly harmed as a consequence of his abuse and many had lost the ability to develop normal relationships in their everyday lives.

The public gallery was full of Jones' victims and their supporters, many of whom cried throughout the sentencing.

Five read their victim impact statements to the court.

Jones was described by one, now in her 50s, as someone who was "still living in denial and still a threat to the community and other little innocent souls".

"You are a very sick person and I know you are regretful now that you have to face what you've done, but you are in denial.

"I remember asking you at a party why you did what you did to me and you replied, 'but I didn't hurt you did I?' This just shows you have no comprehension of your sins."

She said she felt disgusting, dirty and ashamed of herself because of Jones' actions.

"He changed the way I looked at adults, and changed who I was as a person. To try and deter his attention I started dressing like a boy, wearing baggy shorts and baggy shirts, I cut my long blonde hair and tried to make myself anonymous," she said.

Another victim said she shied away from male attention and purposely gained weight to make herself unattractive to Jones and other men.

Jones was convicted of 25 counts of indecencies with a girl under 12, 10 charges of indecencies with a girl between 12 and 16 years, two counts of rape, four of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection, two of assault with intent to commit sexual violation, one of male assaults female and two of assault on a child.