‘Creepy’: Pedophile dance teacher Jon ‘Jonny’ Garnett unmasked

A Melbourne woman who was sexually assaulted by her “creepy” dance teacher as a teenager has shared her story for the first time.

EXCLUSIVE

When Grace* discovered that the pedophile dance teacher who sexually assaulted her as a child was trying to gain access to her psychologist’s counselling notes, she felt violated all over again: this time, by the court system.

“I felt like that took away the last little piece of emotional privacy I had. What you say in counselling is supposed to be sacred,” said Grace.

The idea that her attacker and his lawyers could read confidential notes containing her innermost thoughts and feelings was “unbelievably invasive”.

“There were things in those notes I hadn’t even discussed with my fiance, like how the abuse impacts intimacy for me now,” said Grace, now aged 29.

“It led to me not seeking further psychological treatment at a time when I really needed it.”

Today, as part of news.com.au’s exclusive Take The Stand campaign, Grace is speaking out about her harrowing ordeal with the criminal justice system – and the need for urgent reform – as Jon Garnett, the dance teacher convicted of indecently sexually assaulting her, is unmasked for the first time.

This is her story.

‘Dancing was my dream’

When Jon “Jonny” Garnett first joined Marshere dance studios in Mornington in 2011, 15-year-old Grace wore a school uniform and braces on her teeth.

Jon 'Jonny' Garnett was convicted of indecent sexual assault.

Grace* was 15 when Garnett joined the dance studio attended.

The talented young student had been dancing since early childhood. She had no reason not to trust the new principal dancer, who was more than twice her age.

“At the time I was studying Latin, Ballroom, and Latin American styles and I wanted to work my way up in the studio. I was considering a future in performance, and he had influence over what achievements I could obtain,” Grace told news.com.au.

But the much-hyped new principal dancer was also “cocky”, “arrogant”, and could be overly familiar, especially with the teen girls.

“People had strong opinions of Jonny,” said Grace.

“He was a large character and would talk himself up, bragging how he danced on the world circuit, in Las Vegas, and on six-star cruise liners.

“He could also be inappropriate. The dance styles are sensual in nature and require physical contact. I noticed he would take advantage of this. His hands would linger.”

Garnett also appeared to have a drinking problem and was often seen sipping from an open can of alcohol concealed behind a lectern at one end of the studio, a court later heard.

“Then one week night in August 2012, Jonny called me up to the lectern and pointed to a Mount Franklin water bottle, suggesting I have a sip,” Grace said.

“I thought this was very odd because I had my own drink. I noticed the bottle looked used and manky. There was no condensation on it, like a newly opened, chilled bottle and it was partially empty.

“A short time later he offered me another sip from the same creepy bottle. This time, I clearly smelled what seemed to be alcohol.”

At just 17, Grace was not legally old enough to be served alcohol.

Again she refused the bottle, and resumed class.

“Jonny then asked if I wanted to stay back for a private lesson, saying he would drop me home after,” she said.

Grace was a talented student who has been dancing since she was little. Picture: Supplied

“At the time I believed this was a great opportunity to have a one-on-one dance lesson. We had a competition coming up and private lessons can be expensive.

“I was so goal driven, so I called my sister and told her she wouldn’t need to pick me up.”

Once the studio was empty, the plan suddenly changed.

“He came out holding his car keys and told me that he had a DVD of last years’ competition at home and it would be of benefit for us to watch it,” Grace said.

“I had already cancelled my lift home, and felt reliant on him.

“Once we got to his place, Jonny said ‘make yourself at home’ and disappeared into the kitchen.

“He then called me over and offered me a drink.”

Two shot glasses stood on the kitchen bench, already poured with a clear liquid.

“He said ‘drink it, and then we can dance’. I hesitated but felt I had no alternative. It tasted like alcohol,” she said.

At a criminal sentencing in April this year, Judge Daniel Holding found that the shot glass contained vodka, but could not make a finding beyond reasonable doubt that it contained any additional drug. The judge considered the schoolgirl too young and “inexperienced” with alcohol to be able to discern the difference, and also stated that she had acknowledged in evidence that a “trauma stress response” could also produce feelings of paralysis similar to a stupefying drug.

“At that time in my life I had never been drunk, only tipsy,” said Grace.

“I had consumed only small amounts of alcohol in moderation, perhaps two Vodka Cruisers at a party.

“After I drank the shot, I became aware of a creepy sensation coming over me. I was finding it difficult to co-ordinate my movements and speak in sentences.

“Knowing what I do now about alcohol, I would not describe the sensation as drunk, more of an out of body experience: I was aware of what was taking place but unable to act or influence anything. I felt mute and paralysed.

“It was a feeling l had never felt before. It got stronger and stronger and suddenly hit me like a tonne of bricks and I felt overcome by it.

“To this day, I have never experienced that same sensation again.

“Jonny then placed me in a dancing hold and I had the perception that he was having to hold me up.

“He then began kissing my neck and breast. It was disgusting.

“He was old and creepy and revolting. I had gone to his house for a dance lesson and now I couldn’t protect myself.

“I was a child.

“I was a virgin.

“And I was his pupil.

“I never thought my virginity would be taken away from me in this way.

“During it, I was terrified, crying and just wanting it to be over.”

The dance teacher admitted to feeding the schoolgirl alcohol. Picture: Supplied

He is appealing the indecent assault conviction. Picture: Supplied

In Victoria, the age of consent is 16, but rises to 18 if there is a relationship of authority and trust involved, such as if the older person is a coach, teacher or dance instructor.

In a police interview conducted in May 2021, Garnett admitted to feeding the schoolgirl alcohol and having “sexual activity” with her. But he claimed he thought she was 18 and said he believed she was consenting to sex.

He was found guilty of indecent sexual assault, for unwanted kissing and groping of Grace’s breasts through clothing – but he was acquitted of the more serious charge of rape as not all three elements of the crime were made out.

In Victoria at the time of the incident, to prove rape, it was not sufficient to merely establish that a person’s body was sexually penetrated without their consent. The prosecution also had to prove the state of mind of the defendant and establish, beyond all reasonable doubt, that he had no reasonable basis for believing she was consenting.

In this instance, the judge was satisfied that sexual activity did occur, and that Grace was not consenting in any way. But the third element – Garnett’s state of mind – was not proved beyond all reasonable doubt, as the prosecution could not reach the threshold of demonstrating that Garnett knew Grace was not consenting.

At sentencing this April, Judge Holding slammed the sex offender’s lies and excuses.

“You told police that you believed the victim had ‘a crush’ on you (and that) the victim then willingly engaged in sexual activity with you,” the judge said.

“I find your account … inherently improbable, and I reject your account that the victim accepted an invitation to attend your premises because she had a crush on you, or that she in any way wished to engage in some consensual sexual activity with you … I do not accept your account that the victim told you she was 18 years old.”

Garnett is appealing the indecent assault conviction.

“After it all ended, he told me to shower,” says Grace.

“He stood there watching the whole time, demanding I wash myself down. Then he drove me home.

“He repeatedly insisted the incident remain a secret between him and I and he told me there would be ‘consequences’ if I told anyone.”

Grace felt she had no choice but to obey. Soon after, she left the dance studio.

Then she left dance altogether.

“After that night my passion for dancing was completely destroyed,” she said.

‘I couldn’t tell my parents’

For nine long years, Grace stayed silent.

“I went from a child who was bubbly, carefree and happy, to withdrawing from school, social activities, and hobbies,” she said.

“I entered a very dark place, a dark place no child should ever be exposed to. I had thoughts of suicide and began self harming.

“But I couldn’t tell my parents. My father had undergone heart surgery that year, and I was scared that the stress would be too much for him … I couldn’t live with myself if something I exposed him to killed him.

“So I became closed off, fearful that if I told anyone I would be shamed, or no longer be respected at the Christian school I attended.”

Grace began to suffer PTSD symptoms including nightmares, hair loss, chest pains and flashbacks. She became afraid of leaving the house, and found triggers everywhere – Mount Franklin bottles, songs, even showers.

“I was no longer the same person that entered the dance class that evening. Jonny stripped away my choice, my childhood and my sense of self,” Grace said.

Since then, Grace has also developed PTSD anxiety. She is apprehensive in social situations and has spent huge amounts of money on security gates, dashcams, upgraded locks and a surveillance system “all to gain some feeling of safety”.

“I am still constantly looking over my shoulder,” she said.

Jon 'Jonny' Garnett. Picture: Supplied

Eventually, Grace sought out a specialist psychologist. In time, her dream of dancing was replaced with a new goal to study pediatric nursing.

“I realised I wanted to work alongside kids, because they are vulnerable and have difficulty advocating for themselves,” she said.

Then in 2021, Grace decided to report Garnett to police.

‘I lost my childhood and innocence, he got community service’

2021 was a turbulent time for many sexual assault survivors.

In January, Grace Tame was named Australian of the Year for her courage in sharing her story via Nina Funnell and news.com.au’s #LetHerSpeak campaign. In February, Brittany Higgins went public with her allegations of rape at Parliament House. And by March, Chanel Contos’ petition for consent education had gone viral, as the March for Justice swept the nation.

So when Grace* visited the Seaford sexual crimes division in April that year to give her first four-hour-long interview, she felt a wind of momentum behind her.

What she didn’t realise was that the public hype and national conversation was having little if any impact on the far-removed, slow grinding machinery of Victoria’s justice system.

“I never predicted the process would be this traumatic. For three whole years, it felt like my life was on hold as I was exposed to the unpredictability of the court system,” said Grace.

“There were constant adjournments and delays and each one felt like a punch to the guts, like I was being punished for something I had already suffered for.

“I was using my annual leave to attend court dates, only to be told on the day, once I was already at court, that it had been changed.

“My partner and I would both book time off work. We live outside Melbourne city, so we would travel hours to get there, and go through all the stress of driving in an unfamiliar city, parking and then entering this daunting, intimidating building.

Grace is joining news.com.au’s #TakeTheStand campaign. Picture: Nicki Connolly/news.com.au

“And each time, I would have spent weeks mentally preparing and building up to it. My adrenaline would be pumping, only to be told on the day – once there – that it wasn’t happening. Then my adrenaline levels would crash and I’d be a wreck for days after.

“And every delay bar one was caused by the defence. It felt deliberate and strategic. It felt like they were trying to wear me down, hoping I would eventually withdraw. It was like psychological warfare.

“Eventually I exhausted all my leave entitlements and had no other choice but to take leave without pay.”

Grace also struggled with the constant reminders of the abuse, through endless statements, emails, calls and Zoom meetings.

“It became my full time ‘second job’, attending police stations and court, writing victim impact statements, doing a pretext phone call with the offender, and seeking psychological help. For those three years it took over my whole life,” she said.

“Then when he pleaded not guilty it felt like he once again had control and power over me.

“My performance at work began to drop. I had difficulty concentrating and balancing the pressures of providing quality care to patients while managing my own emotions.

“The stress of it made me sick and I developed migraines and recurrent laryngitis,” a condition she found ironic in a process which was supposed to restore her voice.

“Then, when his lawyers requested a copy of my psychological records I felt like it took away the last little piece of emotional privacy I had in an already vulnerable situation.

“There were things in those notes I hadn’t even discussed with my fiance, like how the abuse impacts intimacy.

“I also feared that these personal records would somehow be used against me and that ultimately caused me to not seek further psychological treatment at a time that I really needed it.

“Still to this day I haven’t gone back. Once the trust is broken, and replaced by fear, it can’t be repaired. It means I don’t have a place where I can be vulnerable anymore.

“Finally, we got an outcome. He was found guilty of indecent assault, but not guilty of rape.

“Both the Government-appointed legal team and myself were incredibly disappointed and shocked. But he was still facing up to 10 years behind bars for the indecent assault and I still had hope he would go to jail as we were constantly reassured by the prosecution that it was ‘highly likely’.”

At sentencing in April, Judge Holding labelled the offence a “traumatic and frightening experience” for which Garnett had “shown no remorse”.

“There was a significant power imbalance between you and the victim, and you took advantage of this imbalance in committing this offence”, said Judge Holding.

“You were a man in his early 30s … Instead of treating the victim with the respect and care that a young student deserved, you manipulated her into a vulnerable position and then took advantage of her vulnerability.

“The courts must deter people in positions of trust or authority from abusing that trust.”

At first, Grace thought the judgment was “going (her) way”.

But then Judge Holding praised Garnett, citing good character evidence. He labelled him “a very honest, kind and trustworthy person” with “achievements as a dancer and a dancing instructor” and a “devotion to your business”.

Grace pictured with court support dog Lucy. Picture: Nicki Connolly/news.com.au

“You have an accreditation with Australian and international dancing associations,” he observed.

“The offending appears to be out of character and a one-off incident in your life”, he said.

The judge also highlighted Garnett’s own “suffering”, including the delays in the case and his “necrotising pancreatitis”.

In the end, Garnett was ordered to serve 240 hours community service. He wouldn’t spend a single night behind bars.

“It felt like he’d won again,” said Grace.

“He is already back to teaching children – in fact he never stopped.

“Throughout the investigation and trial he continued to not only teach but also promote himself.”

News.com.au has obtained screenshots and photographs published throughout the investigation and trial period which appear to confirm this claim.

For Grace, this was the final insult.

“My biggest concern is that I feel like the justice system has not done its job.”

Mornington Dance Studio, where Garnett currently works, was contacted but chose not to comment.

Grace joins Take The Stand

“I want to get my story out there, and I want to highlight how the justice system fails and retraumatises survivors,” said Grace.

Today, Grace is joining Nina Funnell and news.com.au’s Take The Stand campaign, saying she hopes that by sharing her story she can help reform the justice system and alert the community.

“There are so many things which need to change. The long delays and adjournments, the lack of support, and never knowing where you stand. It’s like everything was put in place to make it easier on him,” she said.

Grace said that while overwhelmingly, she felt she had little agency or control during the process, the one silver lining was that she got to meet Lucy, a court support dog, which she found brought some “comfort and connection” to the experience.

“Lucy was way better than the social worker. (After one very distressing adjournment) I sat on the floor and hugged Lucy,” said Grace.

“Being with Lucy felt like I had the support I needed at that moment. I didn’t have to talk or respond, I could just sit and be with Lucy. This was incredibly therapeutic, more so than having to string together responses to the social worker or legal team.

“A program like that needs to be properly resourced, so there are enough dogs to manage the caseload.”

Grace also wants there to be an absolute protection against defence accessing counselling notes in sexual assault matters.

“First we got the notification that he had applied to access my psychologist’s counselling notes. Then we got the notification that his application was approved, and that is when I stopped going. At that point we still didn’t know how much of the notes he would get, and months went by without me knowing,” she said.

“I’d discussed intimacy and my relationship with my fiance, and he was entitled to ask for those notes. It was disgusting.

“It’s absolutely crazy. Even now, I’m not allowed to know where he does his community service because that would impact his ‘right to privacy’, but he was entitled to see my counselling notes? How is that right?”

Grace said that she is determined to see change.

“If there is no change there is no incentive for survivors to take the stand in an attempt to protect our community. The offenders will continue to commit these heinous crimes,” she said.

“I wouldn’t encourage a fellow or future survivor to come forward with our current systems in place as they are. Change must take place and these systems must improve for our future generation of strong survivors to take the stand.”

*A pseudonym chosen by the survivor

Nina Funnell is a Walkley Award winning independent journalist and the creator of the #TakeTheStand campaign. To support this campaign, donate here