A Christchurch massage therapist convicted of sexually offending against 15 women has been jailed for more than 11 years.
By Anna Sargent of RNZ
Neil Yardeni was sentenced in the Christchurch District Court on Thursday on 21 charges including rape, sexual violation and indecent assault, as well as two charges of making an intimate visual recording.
The offending happened between 2015 and 2022 at the 55-year-old's therapeutic massage practice at his home.
The women, who were all clients, described the offending as horrific, disgusting and violating, and told the court of the ongoing impact it had had on them.
In a victim impact statement, one woman said the assault had affected her relationships, her ability to trust, and her ability to feel comfortable alone in a room with a professional.
She said she had lived with shame, anger, guilt and trauma.
"This man was physically and mentally assaulting people in a small suburb of Christchurch out of his home advertising his business, as if it was completely normal to rape and sexually assault others," she said.
"He filmed his unknowing clients, planned to perform indecent acts in a calculating and revolting manner."
Another woman said she remembered lying on the massage bed feeling completely terrified and paralysed.
"I felt stripped of my humanity and dignity... the whole massage I was trying to convince myself to get up and leave but I was too frightened to move in case he got violent," she said.
"I came to this massage looking for a reprieve during a very stressful period of my life. Instead I left with more trauma to carry. I experienced feelings of shame, embarrassment and confusion after."
Judge Jane Farish told Yardeni his offending was a gross abuse of trust.
"You repeatedly exploited women who attended your practice seeking treatment, relief from pain and professional assistance, using your position to sexually offend against them for your own gratification," she said.
The impact on the victims was and continued to be significant, Farish said.
"All of the victims were courageous to have not only come forward but to persevere with dignity and composure whilst giving their evidence in what was and is an extremely stressful environment."
Yardeni's trial commenced in June 2026 and he was found guilty by a jury on 21 charges.
He was found not guilty on three other charges of indecent assault.
"The jury in reaching their guilty verdicts rejected your various defences of accidental touching, consent or a belief in consent on your behalf and in one point the suggestion the complainant had fantasized," Farish said.
Crown prosecutor Penny Brown said Yardeni continued to deny the offending.
"He has demonstrated no insight, and demonstrated no acknowledgement of the harm he has caused, that's despite sitting through a lengthy trial where we heard from 15 victims," she said.
Defence lawyer Josh Lucas said Yardeni had no previous convictions and would benefit from rehabilitation.
"He's going to address what led him down this path," Lucas said.
Yardeni moved to New Zealand in 2003 with his wife and children.
Police encourage any further victims to come forward
In a statement Detective Sergeant Caroline Johnson said 15 brave women gave evidence in relation to Yardeni's offending "and we appreciate the strength it took to hold the offender to account".
Police believed there could be more victims and encouraged them to come forward, she said.
There were staff dedicated to these cases and people could report in confidence, she said.
"We will listen, and we take all reports seriously."
She said anyone who wanted to speak to police in relation to Yardeni should refer to Operation Olive.
SHARE ME