Hockey volunteer says sex-related texts to teen meant as joke

A volunteer with a junior hockey league in Niagara Falls charged with several child pornography offences says he sent a 14year-old boy sex-related text messages as a joke.

Richard McSween, 47, stood trial Thursday in Ontario Court of Justice in St. Catharines to charges of communicating for the purpose of facilitating an indictable offence, making child pornography and distributing child pornography. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The Niagara Falls man testified he was only joking when he engaged in a text conversation with the teen. The messages between the adult and the teen made mention of a second teenaged boy.

During the conversation, McSween asked the first teen if his friend would send him a picture of his penis.

“It was all a joke,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting (the teen) to send me a picture of it.”

Several texts mentioned the exchange of money for a sexual act.

“I figured it was funny at the time,” McSween said. “I figured he would think it was a joke, too.”

Assistant Crown attorney Todd Morris questioned as to why a grown man would make jokes about sex with young boys.

“What’s the joke here?” he asked the defendant.

McSween maintained he was “just bored” when he sent the texts.

Judge Tory Colvin will deliver his judgment Nov. 1.