Former Vancouver Island hockey coach sentenced to 12 months for child luring

A former Vancouver Island hockey coach has been sentenced to 12 months in jail after being convicted of child luring involving a 15-year-old girl during a 2020 hockey camp in Port Alberni.

According to a B.C. Provincial Court ruling, Foster Chadwick Martin was found guilty in December of luring a child after sending explicit messages to the teen through Instagram and Snapchat during a hockey camp. Court documents state Martin was 20 years old at the time of the offence.

The court heard that Martin later worked as a jail guard with the Victoria Police Department. He was removed from his position after the allegations became public.

Martin had also faced charges of sexual exploitation and extortion in connection with the same case. The judge acquitted him on those counts, ruling the evidence did not meet the threshold for conviction.

In sentencing, the court said individuals in positions of authority, including those working with youth or in law enforcement-related roles, are held to a high standard of conduct, particularly where the safety of minors is concerned.