Calgary police have charged a former basketball coach with the sexual assault of a teenage boy several years ago,
Police launched an investigation in November 2020 after the victim came forward to police, saying he had been sexually assaulted by his coach on multiple occasions.
Police said the victim began playing in the Genesis Basketball league in the summer of 2016. He was 14 years old at the time.
“The coach befriended the victim, often driving him to basketball games and practices, school and other locations,” police said in a Friday news release. “The victim also spent time at the coach’s residence, where some of the assaults took place.”
Police said the assaults began when the victim was 14 and continued until he was 16.
On Tuesday, police charged 38-year-old Sean Maheu with sexual assault, sexual interference, invitation to sexual touching and sexual exploitation.
He is scheduled to appear in court on March 11.
Speaking to Global News, Staff Sgt. Michelle Doyle with the CPS’s sex crimes unit encouraged anyone who is a victim of abuse or who suspects abuse to come forward.
“We have a lot of supports for victims because I know it can be incredibly frightening to come forward to the police, but we do have supports and we have investigators that are very well-versed in assisting children in particular — or adults for that matter,” Doyle said.
She added that it’s common for people to be reluctant to come forward.
“In this instance, the victim came forward as an adult. We can still investigate even when the situations have happened historically.”
Doyle said Maheu was not known to police prior to his arrest.
Genesis Basketball responds to charges against Sean Maheu
On Friday, Genesis Basketball responded to news Maheu had been charged, saying it takes the situation very seriously and will continue offering full cooperation to the Calgary Police Service.
“We have been in communication with the family of the young man involved and are deeply saddened,” Genesis Basketball president Eddie Richardson said in a statement. “We will support them however possible.”
According to Richardson, Maheu started coaching with them in 2015 and left in 2018.
“He was well known in the basketball community and worked with other programs before coming to Genesis,” he said. “At the time of Mr. Maheu joining our club, he was employed with Hull Services, an organization that works with some of the city’s most vulnerable youth and families.”
According to Richardson, Genesis coaches – or anyone in direct contact with youths – are required to have a recent CPS police check that is no longer than a year old.
Coaches are also required to have completed a so-called vulnerable sector search.
“We have always been proactive in leading our community in providing our athletes with a safe learning environment and will continue to improve going forward,” Richardson said.
In a statement sent to Global News via email, Hull Services said it “actively works in partnership with various agencies to prevent and address the negative impacts of sexual exploitation on young people in our province.”
“Hull Services is aware that a person previously employed by Hull has been arrested on charges of child sex offences. This person was terminated by Hull Services some time ago.”
Warning signs for parents: what does grooming look like?
It’s common for cases of child abuse to begin with a grooming process which can take place over weeks, months or even years.
Speaking to Global News, Calgary and area Calgary and Area Child Advocacy Center CEO Karen Orser said it’s important for parents to understand the stages of grooming.
“What we are watching for is when children or youth begin to show signs that are different from what might be their regular baseline and they don’t have a reasonable explanation,” Orser explained.
“We’re watching for things like sudden changes in behavior, unexplained injuries that don’t match the explanation — and extreme behavioural reactions such as aggression, avoidance, withdrawal. We’re also looking for sexual knowledge beyond what would be typical at that stage of development, and kids who don’t want to be at home or (who) run away.
“It’s important to remember though that every child reacts really differently – there are not absolute signs that children are being abused — but they can be indicators that something is potentially happening.”
Other potential red flags, as explained by Sgt. Doyle, include extra attention.
“If there was purchasing of gifts, extra time spent with a young person that would be beyond the ordinary, specific attention maybe on a certain individual instead of on the entire team — those kinds of things,” Doyle said. “It’s just something parents can keep an eye out for.”
Orser encouraged parents to listen to their gut.
“Your gut is there for a reason,” she said.
“If you’re concerned that a child is being abused – or you suspect that a child is being abused — it’s your responsibility to call and report that.
“What I think is important is that we recognize that we all have a role to play in creating an environment where kids have a lot of protective factors, a lot of natural supports and a lot of people in their lives that they can turn to for support.
“We often tend to think, ‘That’s not my business,’” she added. “I think we need to recognize that when we get a chance to connect with kids in our neighbourhoods in our communities and build those relationships, we are creating and opportunities for kids to talk and to disclose if they need to.
“We want kids to feel buffered and protected and like they exist within a community of people that are looking out for them.”
For more information on how to recognize signs of child abuse, visit the Calgary and Area Child Advocacy Centre’s website.
– With files from Carolyn Kury de Castillo