Thursday, August 25, 2016

Retired Ottawa teacher-coach accused of sex crimes gets bail


Donald Greenham stood out in the line of handcuffed men down in the cellblocks of the Ottawa courthouse, waiting to see a justice of the peace.

At 73, the retired Ottawa teacher and basketball coach was the oldest accused criminal in the cells, and his charges were by far the worst, and laid after at least four former students, male and female, came forward to say he molested them between 1970 and 1982.

Greenham, in an untucked plaid, short-sleeved shirt, was granted bail after his wife stood up from the last row in the gallery and agreed to post a $10,000 bond. According to his bail conditions, he must stay clear of children under 16 and far from witnesses and victims in the criminal case. The police allege he preyed on children aged 14 to 17 at the time.

His wife, as a surety, is bound by law to tell Ottawa police if he breaks any of his conditions.

She walked out the front door of the Elgin Street courthouse, arm in arm, with her husband. They walked to a waiting car driven by his son, an Ottawa Senators goaltending prospect.

Greenham’s lawyer, Sean May, said it’s a difficult time for the family and noted that nothing has been proven in court.

At the time of the alleged offences, Greenham was the coach of the Bell Bruins boys’ basketball team. His junior and senior high school teams compiled a 388-35 won-lost record and captured a combined five Carleton board, five Ottawa-Carleton board and three senior regional championship titles. Greenham’s teams also made three OFSAA provincial championship appearances.

He retired as a coach in 1982. At the time, the Citizen reported that he was a teacher at Greenbank Senior Public School. During his career, Greenham also taught at Bayshore Public School and worked as a guidance counsellor at Greenbank Middle School.  (more...)


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