Ex-coach accused of sex assaults freed on bail

A former youth badminton coach charged with a series of sexual assaults of boys between 1970 and 1987 has been released into the community after meeting his bail conditions.

On Oct. 26, Victoria provincial court Judge Adrian Brooks agreed to release Harry Charles Sadd on $25,000 bail with one or more sureties. A surety is a person who comes to court and promises to supervise an accused person while they are out on bail. A surety also pledges an amount of money to the court by signing a type of bond called a recognizance.

Sadd, who was in custody at the Vancouver Island Regional Correctional Centre, has only now been able to meet bail conditions.

In August 2016, Sadd was charged with sexually assaulting a teenage boy in the 1970s.

In June 2017, Sadd was arrested on 23 new charges, involving 12 complainants who were between nine and 15 years of age.

The new charges include eight counts of sexual assault, six counts of indecent assault upon a male person, three counts of gross indecency, four counts of buggery or bestiality, and two counts of assault with intent to commit buggery.

Sadd is also charged with failing to comply with his bail conditions between Dec. 21, 2016 and June 10, 2017, by being at a public park, schoolyard, daycare centre, playground or other places where people under the age of 18 could be present.

That offence is alleged to have taken place in Saanich.

Sadd is also charged with breaching a no-contact order with one of the complainants on June 3, 2017.