Accused former junior hockey coach testifies, denies alleged sex assault ever occurred

Warning: this story contains details of an alleged sexual assault.

A former junior hockey coach accused of sexual assault against a 17-year-old in 1988 has denied the alleged incidents ever took place.

Bernard "Bernie" Lynch has entered pleas of not guilty to charges of sexual assault and assault.

The trial is being held at the Court of King's Bench in Regina.

Lynch, 69, coached hockey in North America and Europe for 47 years. Lynch was the subject of a CBC News investigation in 2021, in which parents and players alleged abusive behaviour.

The complainant in the current case testified on Tuesday that he was 17 when he was sexually assaulted by Lynch in a shower at Lynch's home.

At the time, the complainant was taking part in a Regina Pats hockey school that ran between Aug. 7, 1988, and Aug. 12, 1988. At the time Lynch was the assistant coach of the Pats.

Any information that could identify the complainant or his then-girlfriend — who testified earlier on Thursday — is protected by a publication ban granted by Justice Peter T. Bergbusch.

Lynch took to the stand Thursday afternoon to testify in his own defence. He was the only witness called in the defence's case.

The former junior hockey coach confirmed that he had invited the complainant to the hockey school and that he believed the complainant was a very skilled young hockey player. 

The complainant has previously said he understood he was going to stay with Lynch on the night he arrived, Aug. 7, before moving to a hotel on the second night.

Lynch said he never told the complainant he was going to stay at Lynch's appointment.

During his testimony, Lynch also denied that he ever took part in the Pats' Hockey School in 1988, despite being advertised as taking part in