Graham James arrives at court for sentencing in Winnipeg on March 20, 2012. James, a former junior hockey coach convicted of sexually abusing players, is facing more charges.John Woods/The Canadian Press
Convicted sex offender Graham James is headed back to court, and the news affected one of his alleged victims like "a kick in the gut."
The Swift Current RCMP said on Monday that Mr. James, currently in prison for previous offences, had been charged with a sexual assault that allegedly took place when he was coaching the Western Hockey League's Swift Current Broncos. That was in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The Mounties began their investigation after receiving a complaint from a former Swift Current player, who has not been identified.
Another alleged victim, Greg Gilhooly, is a Toronto lawyer who had Mr. James as a minor hockey coach in Winnipeg. He was one of three players who came forward in 2011 with charges against the now 62-year-old Mr. James. NHL star Theo Fleury and his cousin Todd Holt had their charges heard, resulting in a conviction. Mr. Gilhooly's charges were stayed for the sake of expediency; he essentially gave up on his opportunity for justice so that Mr. James could receive his five-year sentence.
"I know all of the things I'm supposed to say – that I've moved on," Mr. Gilhooly said. "But the reality is it's a kick in the gut. It just sucks."
Mr. Gilhooly said the latest charges against Mr. James still are not enough to make things better because there could be more to come.
"There could be more victims from Winnipeg, more from Moose Jaw, more from Swift Current," Mr. Gilhooly said of Mr. James' coaching stops. "And there could be more from Calgary."
Mr. James last coaching job was with the WHL's Calgary Hitmen. He was arrested and charged in December of 1997 with having committed 350 sexual assaults on Sheldon Kennedy and another unnamed player.
Mr. Kennedy, a former Calgary Flame and now a national spokesperson for child safety, helped put his coach in a federal prison for 3 1/2 years. He was not surprised when he heard of Monday's developments.
"I didn't know when it was coming out," Mr. Kennedy said, "but I had heard there was an investigation going on."
Mr. Kennedy said he wasn't sure who had filed the complaint.
A lawyer for Mr. James appeared Monday in the Swift Current provincial court. The case was put over to June 19.