The ex-ski coach Bertrand Charest sentenced to 12 years

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Claudia Berthiaume

Friday, December 8, 2017 10:49

UPDATE
Friday, December 8, 2017 10:49

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The ex-ski coach Bertrand Charest has been sentenced to 12 years in penitentiary, this morning, at the palais de justice in Saint-Jérôme.

“These actions are not acceptable in 2017, not in 1998, not more than in 1950 or any other time. They are criminals in Quebec , in Europe and in any other region of the world,” said the judge Sylvain Lépine in sending a man of 52 years behind bars.

The Crown had demanded 12 years in prison while the defence argued that a period of four to six years would be sufficient.

The judge Lépine was therefore agreed with the suggestion of the Crown.

Detained since his arrest in march 2015, the ex-coach had already served the equivalent of a little more than four years of prison, since detention is calculated according to a ratio of one and a half.

It remains, therefore, 7 years and 10 months, to be served from now on.

Bertrand Charest has been found guilty of 37 heads of exploitation and sexual assault last June.

It was touching to nine of his former athletes, teams, Laurentian and national junior women’s alpine skiing in the 1990s. The former coach of Mont-Tremblant has had intercourse with four of them.

Several ex-racers were present this morning at the palais de justice in Saint-Jérôme for the purpose of this folder.

During the trial, the magistrate had called the coach deprived of the ” real predator weaving carefully to his canvas to attract young female teens “.

Charest, who did not testify at his trial, ned always made and brought the verdict on appeal.

A few weeks ago, the fifty-year-old has, however, apologised to the victims.

“I am very sorry you have to live this process as I would have liked you to avoid. I am deeply sorry for the wrongs you might have to be incurred of any nature whatsoever “, he said.

More details to come…