The case of alleged sexual assault of a Vernon hockey player is brought to court again

A woman who was allegedly sexually harassed by her hockey coach recounts her experience.

The victim, whose identity is protected, will appear again in Vernon Superior Court on Monday, May 27, and will detail his youth on the ice.

Defendant Keith Chase pleaded not guilty to the alleged sexual assault in 2004.

Chase was charged in 2020, found guilty in 2022, and sentenced to two years in prison in 2023. However, he appealed the verdict, and his new trial is currently underway.

The first witness called was Shaun Miranda, a police officer with the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP.

Miranda, who has been a member of Vernon since 2017, said he took the victim’s call on Feb. 7, 2020, when she reported it to police.

The following day, he took her statement. She claimed the incident occurred the night before a hockey game in Kamloops.

The victim also testified on the witness stand on Monday, explaining how she knew Chase, as she played ringette and later hockey at the age of five or six.

“I was very athletic and loved all sports,” she said.

Her testimony and that of her father will continue throughout the trial, which is expected to last two to three days.

READ MORE: Former Vernon hockey coach’s appeal against sexual assault conviction underway

READ MORE: Former Vernon hockey coach guilty of sexual assault