-- Warning. The following story contains details some readers may find disturbing.

Former Saskatchewan junior hockey coach Bernard (Bernie) Lynch was found guilty by a Regina Court of King’s Bench judge on Friday of sexual assault and assault stemming from incidents that took place in August of 1988.

The complainant, who was a 17-year-old boy at the time, said that he was helping Lynch at a hockey school put on by the Regina Pats.

During the complainant’s testimony, he said that Lynch sexually assaulted him in a shower. Prior to that, he said he was staying at Lynch’s apartment for one night as part of the accommodations provided by the Pats.

The complainant said during the stay, Lynch bought alcohol for him and suggested they rent an adult film together while also offering the 17-year-old to bunk in his bed with him.

Lynch denied all the allegations against him and claimed he was outside of Saskatchewan for a coach’s conference and a separate hockey tournament at the time the alleged incidents took place.

During his testimony, Lynch said he invited the complainant, a junior hockey player at the time, to help coach the hockey school in Regina. Lynch said he met the teen at a gas station two days before the camp was set to begin, helped him check into his hotel and showed him to the hockey rink that same night. Lynch claims that was the extent of their interactions before he got onto a plane to Calgary the next morning.

While under oath, Lynch changed his answers when asked several times if he might have taken the teen to his apartment. He originally told the defense it was possible, before backtracking and telling the Crown he was certain he did not go to his apartment with the teen.

Lynch coached both the Western Hockey Leagues Regina Pats and the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey Leagues Humboldt Broncos in the 1980s. 

Lynch, who is currently not in custody, will be sentenced on Jan. 5.