A former junior hockey coach from Regina who was previously convicted of physically and sexually assaulting a teenage player has had his day parole revoked, as per the latest decision released by the Parole Board of Canada. The coach, Bernard “Bernie” Lynch, was found guilty in a 2023 trial for inappropriate behavior towards a 17-year-old player while serving as an assistant coach for the Western Hockey League’s Regina Pats back in August 1988. The victim’s identity remains protected under a standard publication ban.
Lynch, initially sentenced to three years in prison, was granted day parole in September 2024. However, his parole was revoked after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) reported a complaint from the victim, stating that Lynch had sent a friend request on Facebook, breaching the conditions of his release. Subsequently, Lynch was taken into police custody on the same day warrants were issued.
During a parole board hearing, Lynch admitted to searching the victim’s Facebook profile over the past six months, claiming he did so to counter potentially defamatory posts about him on social media. Despite his assertions that the friend request was accidental and he was unaware of sending it, the parole board found his explanations unconvincing, citing inconsistencies in Lynch’s statements.
Lynch, 71, maintained that he did not believe viewing the victim’s social media violated his parole conditions and did not inform his supervisor as he was solely interested in reading comments about himself. The parole board decision highlighted Lynch’s attempts to downplay his actions and his lack of remorse, noting his inconsistent explanations during the hearing.
The parole board ultimately concluded that Lynch failed to demonstrate a release plan that could effectively manage his risk in the community, given his lack of insight into his offending behavior. Lynch’s day parole had been previously suspended due to concerns about his behavior at a community-based residential facility, including boundary issues and inappropriate interactions with other residents. Despite the suspension being lifted after a review, Lynch’s day parole was revoked again in the recent decision by the parole board.