Winnipeg football coach who pleaded guilty to sexual assault facing up to 25 years in prison
A disgraced former Winnipeg football coach who pleaded guilty to multiple charges of sexual assault last year could face up to 25 years in prison.
Kelsey Albert Dana McKay pleaded guilty in July 2023 to nine counts of sexual assault and two counts of luring.
Victim impact statements were read in court on Tuesday, with many saying they struggled with mental health, substance abuse and suicide. A publication ban on the identity of the victims is in effect.
“I feel the effects of what has happened still this present day,” one of the victims said on the stand, noting they are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, severe anxiety and depression.
“It is a constant battle to manage myself emotionally, on a day-to-day basis.”
The victim later added, “Nobody who has harmed a child ever deserves to be forgiven.
“This man does not have control over me anymore. He will never harm another young man, and that’s all I can ask,” the victim said.
McKay, who was a prominent figure in the city’s football community, coached football and taught physical education at Churchill High School and Vincent Massey Collegiate for two decades.
Court was told McKay had considerable power in the school community, and would befriend many of his victims, taking them to lunch or buying them Slurpees. He was described as a "father figure" to many of his victims.
The statement of facts said McKay would invite victims to his home, where they would watch football or movies. Sexual assaults occurred on multiple occasions.
The victims ranged in age from 13 to 18 when the assaults occurred.
Forensic psychologist Dr. Jonathan Rootenberg assessed McKay, finding he was at a low risk to reoffend violently, but at an average risk to reoffend sexually.
The Crown is asking for 25 years in prison for McKay.
"This reflects the enormous harm that comes from the relentless sexual exploitation and abuse of nine children, perpetrated by the trusted coach and teacher," the crown prosecutor told the court.
The sentencing hearing continues Wednesday.
With files from CTV’s Jon Hendricks
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.