Man accused of stalking, exposing himself to girl gets bail

Ex-hockey coach in jail since March

Former Barrhaven hockey coach Michael J. Hull, accused of stalking a girl and exposing himself, has won bail and will now be living with his parents in a lowincome waterfront apartment in Saint John, N.B.

Hull, 49, has been detained at the Ottawa jail since his arrest in March on charges of stalking, indecent acts and exposure. Police allege he victimized the girl twice — once at a discount store and another time at a public library in February and March.

Hull is also charged with breaching a 2016 probation order to stay away from children under age 14.

That probation order was issued following a 2016 arrest at the border after returning from Ogdensburg, N.Y. A search of Hull’s phone revealed that he had secretly filmed women in the change room at a Walmart in Ogdensburg. The police also found child pornography.

Hull was originally charged with possession of a sexual performance by child in the U.S.

In Canada, the Ontario Provincial Police charged him with possession and importation of child pornography.

In both cases, he pleaded guilty to lesser charges. In the Ogdensburg case, he admitted to one count of attempted unlawful surveillance and was fined $1,000.

In the OPP case, Hull pleaded guilty to attempting to smuggle prohibited goods into Canada and failing to declare them.

Had he decided to fight the charges, there were triable issues related to the warrantless search of his iPhone. (A border agent was looking for a digital receipt on Hull’s phone when he found child pornography images and videos of unsuspecting women in a Walmart change room.)

In the OPP case, Hull was fined $3,000 and given three years probation, according to the June 22, 2017 order.

That order prohibited him from being around children under 14 and required him to actively participate in counselling at the direction of his probation officer.

His new bail conditions are strict.

Hull, an accountant by trade, must stay inside the apartment at all times unless he’s at a medical appointment.

The former triple-A hockey coach also must present himself at the doorway if police drop by to verify he’s at home.

Hull must also allow Ottawa police or Saint John police to examine any electronic devices inside the apartment, including internet search history.

Hull can only use the internet for banking, and talking to his family or his lawyer.

Hull can travel back to Ottawa for upcoming court dates so long as he takes the “most direct route possible.”

He’s prohibited from being around children under age 16 unless he’s with one of his parents and he’s banned from the discount store on Merivale Road and the public library on Centrepointe Drive. (There are no security cameras inside the library.)

The case against Hull is in its early stages and none of the most recent charges has been proven in court.

His parents are listed as his sureties and each posted $5,000 to secure his bail. Hull himself posted $20,000. They only have to pay it if the former minor hockey coach breaches any of his bail conditions.

“We are studying the evidence very closely and have no comment at this point,” said defence lawyer Kevin Weinstein.