Riverview man charged with child luring was working as a hockey coach

MONCTON – A 19-year-old man facing child luring charges was working as an assistant coach for a Moncton hockey team this fall.

Hockey New Brunswick confirmed that Matthew Mitton was the assistant coach for the Moncton Hawks Midget AAA hockey team until October.

Mitton, a resident of Riverview, is facing ten charges for child luring over the internet, including charges of invitation to sexual touching and making arrangements to commit a sexual offence on a child with what appears to be five different victims.

“We were made aware of the situation in October from the RCMP,” said Nic Jansen, executive director of Hockey New Brunswick. “Once we were made aware, he was removed from the team immediately. He’s still away from the team and he will not be going back to the team this season.”

Jansen said Hockey New Brunswick is complying fully with the RCMP investigation and will do whatever they can to assist them.

“There was a meeting with the parents of the team. We had board members present at the meeting and we continue to support the RCMP in their investigation,” Jansen said.

Mitton appeared in provincial court in Moncton on Dec. 12 to face the charges.

He was released with a number of conditions, including having no contact directly or indirectly with seven people, including the five alleged victims, and having no contact with anyone under 16 years old, except when accompanied by one of his parents.

“The offences, which targeted teenage boys under the age of 16, are alleged to have occurred in the Greater Moncton area between April and September 2014,” said Cpl. Chantal Farrah.

Officers from Codiac Regional RCMP General Investigation Section (GIS) first executed a search warrant on Mitton’s residence on Oct. 10, seizing computers and a cell phone.

Mitton is due back in court on Jan. 21 to enter a plea.