Disgraced former Winnipeg football coach sentenced to 20 years in prison for sexual assault
A disgraced former Winnipeg high school football coach convicted of sexual assault and luring will spend 20 years behind bars.
It was silent in the Manitoba courtroom Monday as sheriffs led Kelsey McKay away to begin serving his sentence. McKay avoided eye contact with survivors of his crimes.
- The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
- Sign up now for daily CTV News Winnipeg newsletters
The 54-year-old man had pleaded guilty in July 2023 of nine counts of sexual assault and two counts of luring.
“Mr. McKay abused children for his own gratification. There is no excuse for what he has done and there is no cure for the havoc he wreaked,” Provincial Judge Raymond Wyant said in a lengthy decision read out in court.
He sentenced McKay to a total sentence of 54 years, which was reduced to 20 years in prison.
McKay had been a prominent figure in Winnipeg’s football community, as a coach and physical education teacher at Churchill High School and Vincent Massey Collegiate.
Court heard McKay used his “considerable power” in the community and position of trust – having been described as a “father figure” – to lure and sexually assault his victims.
The victims cannot be identified due to a publication ban.
“You broke that sacred bond of trust. You took advantage of that trust. You took advantage of young vulnerable children for your own self and selfish satisfaction,” Wyant said, adding McKay psychologically manipulated his victims and ensured their silence through fear.
“You used vulnerability to your advantage in your twisted game. Shame on you Mr. McKay. Shame on you.”
Court heard McKay’s victims were between 13 and 18 years old at the time of the assaults. Many of them told the court they suffered with mental health, substance abuse and suicidal thoughts in the aftermath of the assaults. One victim died by suicide shortly after speaking to police.
Wyant said McKay’s crimes will have a lifelong and life-altering impact on the survivors.
“Like a thief, Mr. McKay stole their innocence and their childhood. Like a killer, Mr. McKay murdered part of their soul and their being. And in no way can Mr. McKay ever repay that debt for what he stole,” Wyant said.
Speaking to the survivors, some of whom were in the courtroom Monday, Wyant said what happened to them was not their fault.
“You were children. You were guiltless. You put your faith in the hands of someone you saw as a friend, as a mentor, as a teacher, as a coach, as someone larger-than-life to you,” he said. “It is my sincerest hope that each and every one of you and your families will find an important part today in your journey of healing.”
McKay’s defence had been seeking a sentence of 13 years and three months, while the Crown had asked for a sentence of 25 years. Wyant said while he agrees with the Crown’s sentence, he noted it did not take into account McKay’s guilty plea – a mitigating factor.
This ultimately led him to deliver the sentence of 20 years. The sentence comes with a mandatory DNA and sexual offender registry order, along with other prohibitions such as an order banning McKay from ever contacting the victims, and ever attending a school ground or community centre, and banned from seeking work or volunteering with children 16 years old or younger.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Feds move to end port strikes, order binding arbitration
Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon says he is intervening to end the work stoppages at ports in both British Columbia and Montreal.
Canadian Union of Postal Workers issues 72-hour strike notice to Canada Post
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers has given a 72-hour strike notice to Canada Post.
'He begged me': Brampton, Ont. woman loses more than $200K to romance scam
A Brampton woman says she is devastated after she lost more than $200,000 — her life's savings — to a romance scam.
Driver rams his car into crowd in China, killing 35. Police say he was upset about his divorce
A man who authorities said was upset over his divorce settlement rammed his car into a crowd of people exercising at a sports complex in southern China, killing 35 and severely injuring dozens of others, police said Tuesday.
Federal judge blocks Louisiana law that requires classrooms to display Ten Commandments
A new Louisiana law that requires the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every public classroom by Jan. 1 has been temporarily blocked after a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction on Tuesday.
Ottawa high school principal apologizes for song played during Remembrance Day assembly
The principal of an Ottawa high school is apologizing to students, parents and guardians after an Arabic-language song was played during the school's Remembrance Day service.
Church of England head Justin Welby resigns over handling of sex abuse scandal
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, head of the Church of England and spiritual leader of the global Anglican Communion, resigned Tuesday after an investigation found that he failed to tell police about serial physical and sexual abuse by a volunteer at Christian summer camps as soon as he became aware of it.
Earth's biggest polluters aren't sending leaders to UN climate talks in a year of weather extremes
World leaders are converging Tuesday at the United Nations annual climate conference in Baku, Azerbaijan although the big names and powerful countries are noticeably absent, unlike past climate talks which had the star power of a soccer World Cup.
Trump picks Kristi Noem to serve as his Homeland Security secretary
President-elect Donald Trump has selected South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as his next secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, according to two people familiar with the selection.