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VANCOUVER — A former coach of the Vancouver Whitecaps and Canada’s national youth soccer team is expected to make a public apology today in sex crimes court.
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Bob Birarda, 55, pleaded guilty in February to three counts of sexual assault and one count of sexual touching for crimes involving four different people between 1988 and 2008.
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Birard’s lawyer Bill Smart said at a sentencing hearing in North Vancouver provincial court that the former coach would make a statement in court today.
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Smart argued that Birarda should receive a total sentence of one year for the crimes, consisting of eight months in jail and four months of probation.
The Crown recommended a sentence of two years less a day, a cumulative sentence for the offenses plus three years of probation.
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Each of the cases involved Birarda’s interactions with footballers who were under the age of 18, with the age gap increasing over time from four or five years to 23 years.
Birarda was fired by the Whitecaps and Canada Soccer in October 2008.
Smart says Birarda pleaded guilty and cooperated with Crown prosecutors.
“This is an appropriate sentence when a number of mitigating factors are taken into account, including that Mr Birarda has no criminal record, is genuinely remorseful and clearly understands the deep harm he has caused his victims and the wrongfulness of his actions,” says Smart.
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