NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

North Island youth group leader jailed for sexually abusing 9-year-old boy

By Belinda Feek
Reporter·NZ Herald·
11 Jun, 2018 02:54 AM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Paul Jonathan David Nimmo, 51, has been jailed for sexually abusing a 9-year-old boy who was under his wing in a North Island scouting organisation. Photo / Supplied

Paul Jonathan David Nimmo, 51, has been jailed for sexually abusing a 9-year-old boy who was under his wing in a North Island scouting organisation. Photo / Supplied

He was just nine years old when his mother put him under the wing of North Island scouting organisation leader Paul Jonathan David Nimmo.

The boy's mother hoped Nimmo could be a positive role model and father figure for her son, instead he was repeatedly sexually abused by the 51-year-old.

Nimmo was today sentenced on two charges of doing an indecent act and a charge of unlawful sexual connection and possession of objectionable material between October 6, 2016 and October 23, 2017.

Scouts New Zealand chief executive Josh Tabor said Nimmo was "exited" from the organisation in mind-2015 because he refused to work within its policies and procedures.

He said Nimmo went on to establish a youth group unaffiliated with Scouts New Zealand and successfully convinced young people and their parents to follow him to that
organisation.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Our understanding is it is in this context that the offending happened."

Nimmo's lawyer Anne-Marie Beveridge spoke highly of her client's willingness to plead guilty to the charges after first appearing in court in November last year and co-operation with police.

However, probation's pre-sentence report writer was dubious of Nimmo's forthrightness and instead labelled his behaviour as disingenuous and manipulative, saying he was instead engaged in "impression management".

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The report revealed Nimmo confessed to "being in love" with the boy and simply not being able to control his true feelings.

Judge Simon Menzies agreed, stating he shared some of the same reservations about how genuine his protestations were.

The court heard how Nimmo and the boy met after his mother took him along to the scouting group, which hosted a large number of children, so he could act as a father figure and mentor.

The pair became so close they would hang out outside the scouting group, the name of which was suppressed by the judge, with Nimmo taking the boy on fishing trips and having him stay at his accommodation.

The pair would eventually share a bed and Nimmo would offend when he thought the boy was asleep.

He bought him many gifts including computer games, clothing, a watch and tablet and even gave him weekly pocket money.

Beveridge accepted that her client's offending was serious, premeditated and targeted a vulnerable and young victim, however she said her client had gone above what is normally required of an offender. She said Nimmo had volunteered to continue helping police after today's sentencing.

She urged Judge Menzies take on a starting point of 5 ½ years instead of the crown's proposed 7 ½ years.

But Judge Menzies followed the crown's recommendation as there were too many aggravating features which included the fact Nimmo not only groomed the boy but also his family and provided financial and emotional support.

"This was very concerning behaviour which occurred over a period of time and you took advantage of your position to insinuate your way into the family.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"You took advantage of the family dynamics as they became known to you and your offending followed what can only be known as classic grooming behaviour."

He described the victim's impact statement as "distressing" as the boy described how he felt having to live with the abuse, writing "I wish I was just a regular kid", "I wish I wasn't having to deal with all this", "I hate that this has happened to me" and "I hate that I have to now live with it".

"Ultimately he hates you and understandably so," the judge told him.

Judge Menzies jailed Nimmo for five years and three months.

Scouts New Zealand said they co-operated fully with the police investigation and only learnt the details of the charges today when they were made public in court.

"Scouts New Zealand feels for the families whose trust was betrayed by Mr Nimmo. Youth development organisations, be they athletic, religious, or recreation in nature should be safe places for young people. We welcome members of the aforementioned youth group back into Scouts New Zealand," Tabor said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

He said there were no complaints against Nimmo when he was with the organisation but encouraged anyone with anything to report to contact the national Scouts office on 0508 726 884.

A police spokesperson commended the victim for his bravery in coming forward.

"It is thanks to him that Nimmo can be held to account for his actions. Nimmo held a position of authority over the victim and breached the trust placed in him by the community."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

New Zealand

'He’s dealing with so much': Family of brave Connor, 8, cherishing final moments

01 Jul 07:00 PM
New Zealand

Road closed: Pedestrian hit in central Rotorua

01 Jul 06:48 PM
Premium
Opinion

No mean feet: Our obsession with parking on footpaths is getting worse

01 Jul 06:00 PM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

'He’s dealing with so much': Family of brave Connor, 8, cherishing final moments

'He’s dealing with so much': Family of brave Connor, 8, cherishing final moments

01 Jul 07:00 PM

Connor Coster's fight with cancer began before he even started school.

Road closed: Pedestrian hit in central Rotorua

Road closed: Pedestrian hit in central Rotorua

01 Jul 06:48 PM
Premium
No mean feet: Our obsession with parking on footpaths is getting worse

No mean feet: Our obsession with parking on footpaths is getting worse

01 Jul 06:00 PM
Covid-19 and flu infections rise in Western BOP

Covid-19 and flu infections rise in Western BOP

01 Jul 06:00 PM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP