Graham James | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 7, 1952 Summerside, PEI, Canada |
| Occupation | Ice hockey coach |
| Criminal status | Convicted and sentenced |
| Conviction(s) | Sexual abuse |
| Criminal penalty | 5 years in prison |
Graham Michael James (born February 7, 1952) is a former Canadian junior ice hockey coach who was convicted of sexually abusing players on his teams.
After coaching the Swift Current Broncos to the 1989 Memorial Cup championship, he was named Man of the Year by The Hockey News, an honour which was later revoked.[1] In 1994, James became the general manager and coach of the Calgary Hitmen.
James attracted national attention two years later when NHL player Sheldon Kennedy came forward to accuse him of sexually abusing him over a period of years as his junior league coach. Kennedy also mentioned that another NHL player had endured the same abuse, but refused to name him. James pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three and a half years in prison. After completing his sentence, James obtained a federal pardon and left the country, settling in Spain and Mexico. However, in 2009, Theoren Fleury published a book alleging he too had been abused by James in the 1980s, which James again acknowledged as true. In March 2012, he was sentenced to another two years in prison.
On May 25, 2015, it was reported that James was facing additional sexual assault charges in Swift Current, Saskatchewan. The case was adjourned by Judge Violet Meekma until June 19, when the case was to be heard in the Court of Queen's Bench.[needs update][2] James was granted full parole in September 2016.