Man convicted of sex assault at city gym denies liability in civil suit

Goodlife Fitness Centres and a former personal trainer who was convicted of sexually assaulting a client at a Winnipeg location of the chain gym have denied legal liability in response to the victim’s lawsuit.

The victim filed the lawsuit against Joseph Patrick Luna and Goodlife in the Manitoba Court of King’s Bench late last year.

Luna, now in his late 20s, was working as a personal trainer at the Regent Avenue West location when he sexually assaulted the woman during a training session in a private room on Dec. 16, 2023.

Luna was sentenced to 18 months in jail in June 2025.

The woman claims Luna owes her monetary damages for the assault, inflicting mental suffering and breaching his duty of care.

Luna, in a recent statement of defence, argues the woman’s claim does not set out a sufficient factual or legal basis for the damages and violates procedural rules of the court.

“The plaintiff’s failure to particularize the claim for these exceptional forms of damages renders the claim deficient and unsustainable,” reads his court filing.

The inmate’s defence filing says he does not have any income or assets, given he’s serving a sentence, that could be used to satisfy any damages granted to the victim.

The lawsuit also claims Goodlife was negligent and breached its duties to her under her contract with the gym, including that its employees were properly screened and supervised and weren’t at risk of engaging in criminal activity against clients.

The lawsuit claims Goodlife should be held liable for Luna’s actions on its property, which Goodlife has denied.

Goodlife, in its statement of defence, argues the woman only has a viable claim for sexual assault and that the allegations against it are barred by the Limitations Act.

Alternatively, the fitness centre argues, it screens employees, including by getting criminal record checks, and took reasonable steps to ensure employees were monitored and its premises were safe, including having policies that govern employee conduct.

“The actions of the co-defendant Joseph Luna were aberrant, not foreseeable and outside the scope of his employment duties and obligations,” reads Goodlife’s filing.

Goodlife has asked the court to dismiss the claim.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca