The guardian of two ladies who performed basketball at St-Laurent Highschool is talking out, saying the group's head coach had a historical past of questionable behaviour -- and the varsity solely addressed it after his arrest.
Grace Ngoyi signed up her teenage daughters for the varsity's basketball group 4 years in the past as a result of its program had a fantastic fame, she informed CTV Information.
However after seeing head coach Daniel Lacasse's strategies, she says, she quickly started to query how the group was run.
"Screaming, denigrating, dragging the ladies via the mud," she described his strategy -- and "all people knew," she stated.
She complained to the varsity, she stated, however Lacasse's behaviour was tolerated as a result of he introduced status.
At the least, that was the case till he was arrested on intercourse assault costs final week together with two different coaches on the identical faculty.
These allegations have but to be confirmed in courtroom.
No one knew concerning the sexual allegations, says Ngoyi, however everybody knew how abusive he could possibly be.
One former pupil who spoke to CTV Information stated that in her circle, rumours of sexual abuse had been rampant, even when the alleged victims denied it.
Activists working to forestall school-based sexual abuse say that colleges have a protracted strategy to go to acknowledge and denounce this type of behaviour.
"We wish to ensure that the lecturers, the adults, [who spend time] round college students are legally obligated to behave once they see these occasions," stated Melanie Lemay, an advocate within the space.
"Despite the fact that proper now that is speculated to be the case, within the legal guidelines we at present have there are not any conseqences if they do not apply," she stated.
Each the varsity service centre that oversees the varsity, Marguerite Bourgeoys, and the Quebec authorities at the moment are investigating why the alleged abuse was unnoticed for therefore lengthy.
On Wednesday, the prosecution and defence made their last circumstances to get one of many three accused, Robert Luu, launched on bail.
The Crown argued that courts now search a lot harder sentences in this type of case than prior to now.
The Supreme Court docket has reminded the general public of the significance of "denouncing crimes in opposition to youngsters," stated Crown prosecutor Bruno Menard.
The choice on Luu's bail will come down this Friday. As for Daniel Lacasse, he'll make his personal bid for bail on Thursday.
The third man accused, 43-year-old Charles-Xavier Boislard, was launched on bail after the Crown agreed, solely in his case. Prosecutors did not clarify why they handled his case in another way.
Montreal police are searching for further potential victims relating to 3 native coaches charged with sex-related offences. From left: Charles-Xavier Boislard, 43, Daniel Lacasse, 43, and Robert Luu, 31. (Supply: Montreal police handout)
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