Sex assault charges against basketball referee stayed

A Winnipeg basketball referee accused of sexual offences involving three men has had criminal charges against him stayed.

Michael Shane Maryk, 45, had been set to stand trial July 20 on five counts of sexual assault and two counts of committing an indecent act, but instead agreed to a one-year peace bond prohibiting him from having any contact with the three men.

Maryk was employed by the Manitoba Association of Basketball Officials at the time the offences were alleged to have occurred.

“He understands what the peace bond means and what the conditions are.”

The peace bond requires that Maryk not come within 200 metres of the men’s homes, schools or places of worship and have no contact with their families.

“He understands what the peace bond means and what the conditions are,” Maryk’s lawyer Jay Prober told court. “He hasn’t had contact with these individuals for several years, in any event.”

Maryk is prohibited from refereeing or coaching while bound by the peace bond and can be criminally charged if he breaches its conditions.

A publication ban requested by Crown and defence lawyers at the time effectively barred media from reporting on the July hearing and its outcome. Provincial court Judge Margaret Wiebe lifted the publication ban Friday following an application by CBC.

Maryk was arrested in November 2023, seven months after two men alleged he had sexually offended against them.

The first man told investigators that in 2010 or 2011, he was in a closed office when Maryk allegedly spoke with him in a sexual manner and committed an indecent act in front of him.

The second man said he was riding in Maryk’s car in 2020 after they had refereed a game and Maryk parked in a secluded area and allegedly performed an indecent act before sexually assaulting him.

That man told police he was invited to Maryk’s home in August 2020 and was told there would be a party for basketball officials. He arrived to find he was the only guest and was allegedly sexually assaulted a second time.

“He hasn’t had contact with these individuals for several years, in any event.”

Both men told police they did not report the incidents sooner out of fear their refereeing careers would suffer.

No details about the third complainant’s accusations against Maryk were available.

News stories prior to his arrest described Maryk as a provincial supervisor for the Manitoba Association of Basketball Officials.

He was removed “from any level of leadership or influence within the basketball community” when it was learned police were investigating him, Basketball Manitoba executive director Adam Wedlake said following Maryk’s arrest.

dean.pritchard@frepress.mb.ca