Ex-Act president Tim Jago admits abuse of 3 males, 2 victims he had denied at trial

A victim of disgraced Act Party president Tim Jago says the sexual abuse he suffered left him struggling to trust others and caused him “fear, anxiety, anger and embarrassment”.

Today, Judge Brooke Gibson sentenced Jago to 18 months’ imprisonment for the crime, on top of the two-and-a-half years he is already serving for sexually abusing two other males.

Through his lawyer, Ian Brookie, Jago finally admitted to sexually assaulting the two young men he had denied abusing at his 2024 trial.

“I regret things and I am very apologetic, my remorse grows [with each] reflection.”

Tim Jago at an earlier hearing. Photo / Dean Purcell

Judge Gibson told the court Jago had not acknowledged the offending until now, and that the other two victims had had to give evidence at trial.

The latest victim told the court today that before the abuse, which occurred in the mid-1990s, he was a champion athlete who was always “on the podium” and thought he was “invincible”.

He told the court that after the death of a fellow surf lifesaver, Jago had been there for him and others. At one event following the death, the then-teenager had been drinking and woke up to the abuse.

“Since the assault, my life has changed in ways I never expected.”

Former Act Party president Tim Jago. Photo / RNZ, Calvin Samuel

He submitted he never patrolled beaches or competed again.

The man had experienced “fear, anxiety, anger and embarrassment” following the assault.

He told the court he has struggled to trust others and struggled in his relationships.

“I’ve found it difficult to be around people.”

Judge Gibson said the latest offending was very similar to the charges Jago was previously convicted of in that the complainants were young and intoxicated.

“He awoke in bed naked with you performing [a sex act] on him.”

Judge Gibson said the man, who was young at the time, had “suffered greatly” as a result and his life had been “knocked him off his track”.

“The harm didn’t just end on the day it occurred”

As an older member of the surf lifesaving community, he had abused his victim’s trust.

Brookie said his client also wanted to make a further reparation payment of $1500 to the complainant, as he had offered to the others.

Defence lawyer Ian Brookie.

While no payment had been made to the other men to date, Brookie said it would be a priority once Jago left prison.

Crown lawyer Emma Kerr submitted that “significant harm” had been caused by the offending and she rejected the submission that the breach of trust was slight.

Earlier this week the Herald revealed Jago had pleaded guilty to one charge of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection, which had been laid late last year.

An indecency charge he was facing is not being pursued at this stage.

Officer in charge, Detective Sam Walker, said police received a report in late 2025 about this matter.

“This was a result of publicity on offending that had occurred around the same period in the mid-1990s, which Tim Jago had already been sentenced for.”

Walker said police were pleased the case has been resolved without the need for a trial.

“We would like to acknowledge harm caused to the victims who have come forward.

“We would also encourage any other victims who have matters they need to raise to come forward to police. The offending we aware of to date all occurred within the surf lifesaving community.”

In August 2024, the disgraced former Act Party president was separately found guilty by a jury of the indecent assault of two teenage boys he mentored through a sports club during the 1990s.

Jago was sentenced to two-and-a-half years’ imprisonment and unsuccessfully appealed both his sentence and convictions.

He had argued that some of the charges should not have been considered and that the judge’s directions to the jury were inadequate.

Where to get help:
If it's an emergency and you feel that you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
If you've ever experienced sexual assault or abuse and need to talk to someone, contact Safe to Talk confidentially, any time 24/7:
• Call 0800 044 334.
• Text 4334.
• Email support@safetotalk.nz.
• For more info or to web-chat, visit safetotalk.nz.
• Survivor Experiences Service: 0800 456 090 (8.30am-4.30pm Monday-Friday) or text 8328. This service is for people abused in state, faith-based or other forms of care.
Alternatively contact your local police station – click here for a list.
If you have been sexually assaulted, remember it's not your fault.

Katie Harris is an Auckland-based journalist who covers issues such as sexual assault, workplace misconduct, media, crime and justice. She joined the Herald in 2020.