Net proceeds from sale of sexual predator coach’s house destined for victims’ support programs

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This article was published 17/07/2023 (828 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Additional funds are set to flow to victims’ support programs in Manitoba following the sale of a disgraced former football coach’s house.

The residence — turned crime scene — of 52-year-old Kelsey McKay, a former high school football coach and gym teacher who admitted to sexually assaulting teenage students, was sold last year. Net proceeds from the sale, $82,092, are being held in trust for Manitoba’s criminal property forfeiture branch, court records show.

The branch sought to seize McKay’s house at 31 Inman Ave. after he was charged last year with grooming and sexually assaulting male students dating back decades.

Instead of seizing the real-estate property, Criminal Property and Forfeiture approved McKay’s sale of the home last July. An interim court order on July 27, 2022 specifically dictated that the funds from the sale must be used to pay off the mortgage, any city property taxes or water and waste fees, as well as any legal fees from the sale transaction. After those bills were paid, the rest of the money was to be held in trust.

“The funds are to remain in court until these proceedings are concluded or otherwise ordered by the court,” the interim order signed by Justice Shauna McCarthy states.

Under Manitoba law, property used to commit crimes can be seized in civil court proceedings, and the proceeds from the sale of that forfeited property must be used to compensate victims, provide funding to Victim Services, or go toward law enforcement equipment, training or community programs. It is expected the net proceeds from the sale of McKay’s house will be deposited into the criminal property forfeiture fund, which is essentially a trust fund for victims’ services.

McKay pleaded guilty in provincial court last week to nine counts of sexual assault and two counts of luring against nine then-teenage male victims who were players on the football teams at Churchill and Vincent Massey high schools he coached 10 to 20 years ago. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

When he entered his guilty pleas, McKay admitted to an agreed statement of facts that is now part of the public court record in his case. It stated the offences occurred at his home. He admitted inviting the teens to his home, supplying them with alcohol, massaging them and sexually assaulting them.

As a prominent football coach and mentor to young athletes, McKay was known to invite players to his house to watch games or movies and use the hot tub. He admitted as part of his pleas that he also watched pornography with some students and touched them with or without their clothes on while he was their coach, teacher and maintained a position of trust over them. He was initially charged with 30 counts related to sexually assaulting and grooming students, but most of those charges were stayed by the Crown. In the charges McKay admitted to, many of the victims reported McKay sexually assaulted them on his couch at home.

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca

Katie May
Multimedia producer

Katie May is a multimedia producer for the Free Press.

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