A former Whakatane gym owner has been jailed for 11 years for historical sex offences against young girls.

NZME. reports Garry Jones has been sentenced in the High Court at Rotorua today by Justice John Fogarty.

He was found guilty in November last year of 45 charges relating to offending in the 1970s and 1980s in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

His victims were aged between five and 16.

Jones formerly owned Sunny Gymz in Whakatane before moving to Auckland.