Manitoba high school football coach gets 20 years for sex assaults

A former high school football coach in Winnipeg has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for sexually assaulting nine male students over a 13-year period.

Kelsey McKay was handed the sentence today after pleading guilty last year to nine counts of sexual assault and two counts of luring. The assaults took place between 2003 and 2016, when the victims were between 12 and 18 years old.

Court heard that McKay had been regarded as a mentor and father figure to the students. In some cases, he provided them with alcohol and pornography as part of his grooming behaviour. During an earlier court appearance in March, McKay apologized and admitted that he had violated the trust of his players and the school community.

The Crown had sought a 25-year prison term, while the defence asked for a sentence of just over 13 years. The judge said the 20-year sentence reflected both the severity of the offences and the long-term harm caused to the victims.