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December 19, 2017 - 1:42 PM
CONTENT ADVISORY
KAMLOOPS - A former coach and auxiliary police officer has been convicted of sexually assaulting several young boys during his time in Clearwater 30 to 40 years ago.
A judge today found Alan Davidson guilty of five counts of indecent assault for sexually touching five boys in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Some considered him to be in a position of authority at the time.
Kamloops Supreme Court Justice Sheri Donegan handed down her decision today, Dec. 19, after a nearly three week trial earlier this year. Donegan heard testimony from seven complainants and saw hours of a police interview Davidson had back in 2014. He was acquitted of two more charges of indecent assault.
A major issue in the trial was consent because up until 1983, the age of consent in Canada was 14 years old.
Davidson was convicted of indecent assault against a 13-year-old boy he coached in Clearwater in 1976 whose family he stayed with for work. Court heard during the victim's testimony that while Davidson stayed at their house, he slept in the teenager's bed. One night, the victim said in his testimony, Davidson fondled him and performed oral sex on him without his consent.
Donegan found Davidson guilty of that charge, stating even if the victim had been 14 years old at the time of the offence, he did not consent to the acts.
"I find (the complainant) to be a very credible witness," Donegan said. "He exhibited what appeared to be genuine emotions of shame, embarrassment and sadness when he testified."
None of the complainants in the case can be identified due to a mandatory court-ordered publication ban which protects the identity of sexual assault victims.
She also found Davidson guilty of performing oral sex on a teenage boy from Clearwater who he coached. Davidson drove the boy and his friend on a road trip to Penticton where they stayed in a motel and consumed alcohol.
The victim testified he found himself with his swim trunks down and Davidson performing oral sex, but could not recall how it happened. He testified he was frozen, silent and scared.
"Mr. Davidson knew he had a drunken young adolescent boy in his hotel room," Donegan said.
The theme of taking his victims on road trips was apparent through other victim testimony. One victim testified that he and Davidson were on a camping trip when he woke up to Davidson performing oral sex on him.
Donegan said in her decision that someone who is asleep cannot consent to sexual relations.
Two other men testified that when they were young, they looked up to Davidson as a male adult role model who helped them through their own struggles. Both of them were sexually assaulted on trips away from home with Davidson.
Davidson was acquitted of two charges of sexual assault, finding reasonable doubt in whether the victim consented to the sexual acts or not.
Lawyers are expected to meet again in the new year to fix a date for sentencing.
Davidson has outstanding charges in Saskatchewan, where he worked as an RCMP officer.
For more coverage on this case, go here.
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News from © iNFOnews, 2017