Bernie Lynch back in prison after Facebook friend request to 1988 sex assault victim

Bernie Lynch, who was convicted of sexually assaulting a teen under his care, is back behind bars. Jacob Carr explains.

A former Saskatchewan coach convicted of sexually assaulting a teen at a hockey camp is back in prison after contacting his now-adult victim while out on day parole.

Bernie Lynch, 70, was handed a three-year sentence in January 2024 for sexually and physically assaulting a 17-year-old boy who was staying at his apartment while attending a Regina Pats hockey school in 1988. The player came forward to police in 2021.

With a limited criminal history, Lynch had few issues obtaining day parole — but his release history to date has done little to instill confidence in the Parole Board of Canada.

Lynch’s first shot at day parole was revoked after five weeks when staff at his community-based residential facility became concerned he had developed an obsession with a younger offender who lived there.

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The second time around, the parole board notes Lynch made strides in the first four months of his supervised release, and in an April 30 review, he was granted greater privileges. It was considered a trial run while it considered the former coach’s application for full parole.

According to parole board documents obtained by CTV News on Tuesday, Lynch was back behind bars less than a month later for breaching an order not to contact his victim.

“On May 26, 2025, your parole supervisor received a call from the RCMP,” the board wrote in an Aug. 26 review.

“The victim shared that you had requested a friend request via Facebook. Police took photos of the victim’s phone that indeed showed that you had requested the victim’s friendship on Facebook.”

The former coach was arrested the same day.

Lynch, for his part, said the “friend request” was accidental.

He told the board he was researching some hockey associates on Facebook for a book he’s writing, and saw the victim was a mutual friend. Lynch claimed he was unaware he sent the request.

But in an interview in June 2025, the board says Lynch admitted to searching the victim’s profile repeatedly for months after hearing from associates that the victim was posting information about him on social media that may be slanderous or a breach of his privacy.

According to the latest report, the parole board did not believe Lynch’s explanation.

“The board has difficulty believing the Facebook friend invite was sent out by accident, a slip of the finger while scrolling through contacts,” the report says.

“The board also finds it highly unlikely that the victim was part of ‘mutual friend’ lists of people you were trying to contact in regard to your book, as you told the board most of the people you trying to or planning to contact were in Europe and Asia.”

While mere months ago parole board members wrote of Lynch’s “high reintegration potential,” that confidence has faded.

“You were in control of your actions … and fledged ignorance when you were called on your actions,” the board wrote in its latest review.

“You tended to portray yourself as a victim consistently.”

The Correctional Service of Canada, responsible for all federal inmates, recommended Lynch be released again — with added restrictions including more intensive monitoring of his call and messaging logs, and internet use.

But even with those safeguards in place, the board concluded Lynch presented too great a risk to the community.

“You lack insight.”