Personal trainer jailed for ‘predatory’ sex attack on woman and secretly filming 35 topless women during massages - The Irish Times

[Tom Tuite]

A gym owner has been jailed for two years and four months after he sexually assaulted a woman seeking treatment for chronic back problems and for secretly filming dozens of other women topless as he gave them massages.

Personal trainer Shane Flynn (35), who owned and ran the NGS Gym & Rehabilitation Clinic in Mullingar, Co Westmeath, begged not to be imprisoned.

Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court heard 18 hours of video footage on Flynn’s laptop featured 35 women with their breasts exposed. The footage showed him making suggestive remarks to women aged from 18 to their mid-50s, and massaging their breasts.

Gardaí could not identify the women in the videos, which did not feature any non-consensual behaviour. Judge Ronan Munro noted they were not shared or distributed and were mostly recovered from his laptop recycle bin and Flynn ceased this activity several months before his arrest for the sexual assault.

Flynn, with an address at Dalystown, Mullingar, denied sexually assaulting a woman in January 2021 but admitted offensive conduct of a sexual nature by making covert digital recordings of women without their knowledge or consent at his gym from July 2018 until August 2020.

Following a six-day trial in October, a jury of nine men and three women convicted him of sexually assaulting the woman with back problems after she went to an appointment at his gym.

At the sentence hearing on Monday, Judge Munro said Flynn was skilled at providing treatment and help to people, but he had debased his talents to systematically exploit the women who came for help.

He praised the steadfastness of the woman he assaulted and said she had exposed him as a sex offender, and by coming forward, she had made the world a safer place.

Flynn, a new father, built up his business over a decade and it was rebranded last year as Recode. However, the judge noted it was now “in ruins” but Flynn had brought €5,000 to court after dissolving his company.

The sentence for the sexual assault was three years with 16 months suspended on condition he keep the peace for 12 months, remain on probation supervision and pay over the money to the victim. Her parents advised the court she wanted it to go to a charity that assists survivors of sexual assault.

That prison term will run consecutive to a further eight months’ imprisonment imposed for the secret recordings.

Flynn told the court via his barrister, Shane Geraghty, that he now unequivocally accepted the verdict that he had sexually assaulted the complainant.

In a letter to the judge, he expressed remorse and said: “I am begging you, judge, for a second chance and an opportunity to be the best father I can possibly be.”

The court heard he had recently been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

A probation report also found him to be at medium risk of sexual reoffending.

His partner of 11 years gave a testimonial and said she was “100 per cent” standing by him.

In evidence, the victim told the jury she wanted expert treatment and heard about Flynn

Flynn asked the victim, who was then in her mid-20s, to remove her bra and shorts.

He asked if she wanted a “happy ending” massage, made a series of inappropriate comments and touched her breasts, vagina, pubic area and buttocks, leaving her terrified, before asking if it was his turn.

In a victim impact statement the complainant had said: “After this happened to me, I completely lost my spark and became increasingly anxious.”.

Post-release, Flynn must remain under probation supervision for one year and complete a sexual offending treatment programme.

The judge noted past clients from around the country, including two people with Parkinson’s disease, had come to court to say how he had helped them.