A longtime Waterloo taekwondo instructor has been sentenced after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a former teenage student more than two decades ago. Gregory Bauer, 63, received a conditional sentence of two years less a day to be served in the community, followed by three years of probation, after pleading guilty to sexual assault in a Kitchener courtroom. Bauer was also ordered to register with Canada’s National Sex Offender Registry for 20 years and is subject to an order restricting his contact with children. Bauer, however, will be allowed to continue operating Five Rings Taekwondo Martial Arts Studio in Waterloo and coach young athletes under strict conditions. The conviction relates to offences involving a former student who was aged 15 to 17 from 2002 to 2004. According to an agreed statement of facts, Bauer engaged in a romantic relationship with the teenager while coaching her in taekwondo. The Crown said the victim moved into Bauer’s residence during that period and shared a hotel room with him on at least one occasion while attending a competition. Assistant Crown attorney Melanie Goodfellow told the court Bauer, who was in his 40s at the time, “engaged in sexual touching with [the victim] on numerous occasions, at least weekly.” Goodfellow also said the victim wanted to become a national taekwondo champion and believed remaining with Bauer “was the only option to get there.” The Crown acknowledged Bauer could not have been aware of the victim’s mindset. A victim impact statement was filed with the court but was not read aloud during the sentencing hearing. Justice A.L. Warne said the victim “needed guidance, she needed a mentor and she needed a leader and unfortunately, Mr. Bauer took advantage of this.” The judge also noted the victim said the offences “profoundly damaged her mentally, emotionally and physically.” In imposing the sentence, Warne cited Bauer’s age, lack of a prior criminal record and guilty plea as factors supporting a lesser sentence. The court ordered that Bauer can only coach young athletes if he is supervised by his son or another adult who is aware of his conviction and the conditions of his sentence. Two other charges against Bauer were withdrawn as part of the proceedings.
