The Correctional Service of Canada considered the former WHL coach an “untreated sex offender” when he was granted day parole.
Despite maintaining he is innocent, Bernie Lynch told parole board members he didn’t “see the point” of carrying on with an appeal of his conviction for sexually assaulting a teen boy.
The 70-year-old former WHL coach was granted day parole on Aug. 22, according to Parole Board of Canada (PBC) documents that touch on Lynch’s case and provide some insight into his state of mind.
In December of 2023, Lynch was convicted of sexually and physically assaulting a 17-year-old boy in 1988.
At trial, he testified that Lynch had pressured him to drink and take off his clothes before ultimately sexually assaulting him.
The judge who heard the case accepted as fact that Lynch climbed into the shower with the player — unwanted and uninvited — before committing that offence. The physical assault conviction pertained to punches to the victim’s arm and a strike to the victim’s testicles with a ring of keys, said to have occurred the day after the sexual assault.
“I would just like to categorically state to you and to the court that I have absolutely no professional, personal or sexual relations with this man, at any time, any place, in my life, or his,” he said on that date.
“You indicate you didn’t want it to impact your family or the victim any further,” the PBC decision states in relation to the appeal.
However, the decision also notes that Lynch maintained his innocence at the time of its writing.
“You continue to deny any responsibility for the offences and have not taken any steps to address your risk factors,” the document states under the heading “Correctional Service of Canada’s (CSC) Recommendation.”
“CSC states that you continue to be an untreated sex offender.”
However, it notes that in his hearing, Lynch was able to “demonstrate victim empathy.”
“You are sorry for the victim that this happened. You feel the victim will be strong and get on with his life. You reached out to other police stations to follow up on any other allegations. You wished the best to the victim,” states a summary of part of Lynch’s closing statement at his parole hearing that was included in the decision.
Regarding a victim impact statement that was filed, the decision states Lynch said: “it’s sad that anyone has to go through such a thing, it makes you feel terrible and brings back terrible memories.”
The decision goes on to state that Lynch said he too was subject to abuse from the ages of six to 16 and identifies with “the trauma the victim has experienced.”
“Overall, incarceration has been a deterrent, and you have been able to make measurable and observable changes since your offending and through this period of incarceration,” the PBC decision notes.
“The Board considers your risk manageable on day parole with imposed special conditions intended to mitigate your risk.”
Those special conditions include that Lynch must not have any contact with the victim.
He must not be in a “position of authority, paid or unpaid, official or unofficial, to provide coaching, teaching or other services to males under the age of 18 years.”
He must not be in the presence of any male children under the age of 18 or be “in, near or around places where children under the age of 18 years are likely to congregate, unless he’s under supervision with permission.
Further, he must follow the treatment plan arranged for him with regard to “emotions management and sexual offending.”
These largely mirror the conditions the CSC recommended he should be subject to, should he be released. However, the CSC suggested he should follow a treatment plan “in the area of sexual deviancy.”
According to the PBC decision, Lynch agreed to follow a treatment plan, but disagreed with being described as a sexual deviant.
Lynch’s day parole was granted for a period of six months, during which he is to live at a community-based residential facility (halfway house) and return to that facility nightly.
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