The head of Minor Hockey in Durham says the screening of people involved in coaching or working with young players on a team, is much better than it was 15 years ago.
Rob Nixon is the President of Durham Minor Hockey and he says while police checks are mandatory now, they were not in the 1980’s and most of the 1990’s.
His comments follow the conviction of a Durham man on sex related offences that date back to 1980.
Danny Elvidge was on the Minor Hockey executive for a number of years, but Nixon says that didn’t really give him access to young kids.
Nixon says Elvidge did hang around rinks a lot, but he has not been in a coaching position for more than a decade.
The President of Minor Hockey in Durham says screening only goes so far, and you can’t have police screenings of everyone in an arena.
Elvidge was given twelve months in jail for sexual interference and two months for indecent assault.
The incidents involved young boys in 1980, and between September 2007 and January 2010.
Elvidge was put on probation for three years, he will be on the registered sex offender list for 20 years, he cannot be with young people thru employment or volunteering for 15 years, and he is banned from having a weapon for 10 years.
