Hockey Canada assessing lawsuit risk after ex-coach charged

A judge will decide Monday if a former Ottawa children's hockey coach facing more than 30 sex-related charges should get bail, while the organization he once coached for assesses its civil litigation risk.

Last month Ottawa police charged 57-year-old Kelly Jones after an investigation into allegations that he had sexually assaulted a boy between 1987 and 1991. The boy was allegedly assaulted from age 11 to 15.

Jones was arrested again earlier this week after 10 additional alleged victims came forward.

On Wednesday police laid more than 30 charges, including sexual assault, sexual interference, invitation to sexual touching and sexual exploitation and intimidation for alleged incidents going back decades. 

Hockey Canada conducting internal investigation

Hockey Canada said Friday that it has launched an internal investigation. Its records show Jones took coaching courses through Hockey Canada in 1994, and that he was coaching in the league until 2002-03.

"When we have situations similar to this matter ... we're aware that often that can manifest themselves into civil liability claims down the road from the victims of the alleged perpetrator," said Hockey Canada vice-president Glen McCurdie.

"And we make sure that we conduct an investigation to understand our potential exposure and that of our members as we go through that process."

Jones appeared in court Friday for a bail hearing, the details of which can't be made public due to a standard publication ban on bail hearings.

In court Jones appeared stone faced as the charges were read out, though at one point he shook his head, according to the CBC's Simon Gardner.

Jones is set to appear in court again on Monday to find out whether he'll get bail.