Former president of the ACT Party Tim Jago has been publicly identified as the former political figure convicted of indecently assaulting teenage boys in the 1990s.
Jago, who led the party for nearly four years, was charged in January 2023 for crimes committed between 1995 and 1999 while he mentored young sports club members.
His identity was protected by name suppression until recently when he chose to abandon his appeal. Jago maintains his innocence and plans to appeal both the conviction and the sentence he received, which was two-and-a-half years imprisonment.
The case came to light again after a second complainant came forward in 2022, following media coverage of Jago. The allegations involved Jago exploiting the vulnerability of intoxicated teenagers and sexually assaulting them at social events, leading to his conviction on eight counts of indecent assault.
ACT leader David Seymour was informed of the allegations months before Jago’s arrest, when a complainant’s wife contacted the party via Facebook Messenger.
This development has sparked discussions on how political parties manage such allegations internally, especially when they involve high-ranking officials.
The party has yet to comment further on Jago’s conviction and his role within the party after his name suppression was lifted.
I hope he has a very bad time while inside and never sees daylight again.