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Graham James Hockey Coach

December 8, 2011 by · Comments Off on Graham James Hockey Coach 

Graham James Hockey Coach, A law professor says former junior hockey coach Graham James could avoid more prison time despite pleading guilty to new sex charges. Anne McGillivray from the University of Manitoba says it’s possible James could get a conditional sentence to be served in the community.

James, 59, pleaded guilty Wednesday to repeated sexual assaults on former NHL star Theo Fleury and another junior player who cannot be identified under a court order.

The charges date from a period between 1983 and 1994 — roughly the same time during which James assaulted three other players, offences for which he has previously served time.

McGillivray says a defence lawyer could argue James hasn’t been convicted of any crimes since that period in the 1980s and ’90s.

Crown attorney Colleen McDuff has said she will be seeking penitentiary time, but McGillivray says that’s not a given.

“What the judge could do is consider the time that has passed since that period in the accused’s life and say, ‘Well, look, we’ve had 20 years … where we’ve had no similar conduct, so we’re not looking at specific deterrence and we’re not looking at rehabilitation, because that’s all done.’

“A lighter sentence could include no jail time. It could include a conditional sentence.”

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