A former competitive girls hockey coach has been sentenced to almost five years in jail after he was found guilty of historical sexual offences against a teenage player.
York Regional Police began an investigation into a hockey coach after receiving allegations of historical sexual assaults against a 15-year-old female girl in January 2021, police said in a news release. The incidents occurred from 2009 to 2011, while the accused was coaching competitive girls hockey in the Greater Toronto Area.
On Feb. 19, 2021, 47-year-old Lorne Rappaport of Pickering was charged with sexual assault (two counts), sexual interference – person under 16, invitation to sexual touching and sexual exploitation.
In June 2023, he was found guilty of sexual interference – person under 16, invitation to sexual touching and sexual exploitation. On Dec. 14, he was sentenced to 4.75 years in prison, police said.
He was also ordered to submit a DNA sample to the National DNA Data Bank and will be added to the Sex Offender Registry.
Rappaport has been released from custody on bail, pending an appeal, police said.
