Disgraced former junior hockey coach and convicted sex offender Graham James has been released on bail with a number of conditions, including that he surrender his passport and not contact any of his alleged victims.
James was granted bail by a Winnipeg judge on Monday morning, though court documents showed a justice of the peace had signed off on his release on Friday.
James, who returned to Canada from Mexico in October to face the nine charges against him, will be living in the Montreal area.
He will be required to report to police, stay away from anyone under the age of 18 and avoid any of the complainants in his case.
James faces nine charges related to alleged incidents involving three boys between 1979 and 1994.
One of the boys was Theo Fleury, who went on to be a star in the National Hockey League. He wrote a book detailing the alleged abuse.
The other two cannot be named under the terms of a publication ban.
James, 57, served two years in the 1990s after being convicted of sex crimes involving three young hockey players under his charge, one of them Sheldon Kennedy, who also went on to play in the NHL.
He was eventually quietly pardoned, however, and moved to Mexico, only returning in October after a warrant was issued on the new charges.
James faces the following 11 bail conditions:
- He must live at the address provided to the court.
- He cannot leave Canada.
- He must report to a detective in Montreal within two days of his release.
- He cannot communicate in any direct or indirect way with the complainants -- and must not frequent any place where they are known to be present.
- He cannot be alone with anyone under 18.
- If travelling anywhere other than between Montreal and Winnipeg, James must provide a full itinerary to police.
- He cannot possess, own or carry a firearm.
- He cannot not possess or own anything converted into a weapon.
- He must provide police with credit card information.
- He must surrender his passport.
- He must notify police of any change in his occupation or employment.
