By Tim Petruk – Kamloops This Week
A former volunteer police officer and youth sports coach in the North Thompson Valley has been found guilty of five sex crimes against teenagers dating back decades, including the rape of a 14-year-old boy who played on the hockey team he coached.
Alan Davidson stood trial earlier this year on seven counts of indecent assault. B.C. Supreme Court Justice Sheri Donegan read her decision on Tuesday, finding him guilty of all but two charges.
READ MORE: Former Clearwater coach won’t testify in sex-crimes trial (Sept. 28, 2017)
READ MORE: Former Mountie from Clearwater faces new sex charges in Saskatchewan (Mar. 29, 2015)
Davidson was an auxiliary RCMP member and a volunteer coach for kids’ hockey and baseball teams in the Clearwater area in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when the offences took place.
He later became a full-fledged member of the RCMP and worked in B.C., Alberta and Saskatchewan. When Davidson was arrested in 2014, he had been working in Alberta as a deputy sheriff.
Donegan’s lengthy decision took more than two hours to read. Davidson sat listening in the prisoners’ box, staring at the floor. He remains free on bail.
Donegan described in great detail the offences — all of them against teenaged boys over whom he held some level of authority — including one in which a 14-year-old boy described Davidson as “a mentor” told court he tried to avoid being raped.
That complainant went into graphic detail about the incident, which took place on a weekend fishing trip in Davidson’s camper.
Donegan described that complainant as “a small, vulnerable, bullied individual” who was particularly susceptible to abuse.
Donegan ordered Davidson undergo psychiatric testing for a report to be used during sentencing.
Lawyers are scheduled to meet to set a date for sentencing on Jan. 22.
