A figure skating coach accused of sexual assault has denied the allegations but admits being alone with them might have been a mistake.
Thirty-year-old Matthew Power faces 10 charges including sexual assault and interference, as well as child luring and sharing sexually explicit pics and video over Snapchat involving two complainants.
The girls were in their mid-teens when the offences are alleged to have occurred more than four years ago while Power was coaching young figure skaters in the metro region.
Power was arrested in 2021 and is now testifying at his trial in Supreme Court, with the Crown this morning focusing on policies around an adult or coach being alone with a skater.
Power was asked if there was a policy or anything in his contract that stipulated a second adult should be present, replying he couldn’t recall, before adding while it was “fairly common” and often “unavoidable” to be alone with a skater, “I would never put myself in that situation again.”
Court was told there is now a strict policy for a second adult to be present.
Power remains suspended by Skate Canada pending the outcome of his trial, which is continuing at Supreme Court in St. John’s.