By The Canadian Press

soccer coach found guilty

Former youth soccer coach found guilty of sex charge involving child

Aug 13, 2019 | 3:41 PM

A judge has found a former youth soccer coach in Edmonton guilty of trying to arrange sex online with an 11-year-old girl.

Court heard during his trial that Wesley Vander Leeuw thought he was contacting a mother and her daughter when he tried to arrange a meeting.

He was actually dealing with an undercover police officer who had created an online persona named “Shannon” following a tip in 2016.

Investigators said Vander Leeuw sent sexually explicit messages to Shannon asking how she wanted her daughter to learn about sex.

Vander Leeuw’s lawyer argued over a five-day trial in June that his client had made a Craigslist ad inviting other adults to a hot-tub party.

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The lawyer said Vander Leeuw became concerned by a woman who he thought might be abusing children and he was trying to get more evidence to submit to police.

The judge found Vander Leeuw’s story wasn’t credible.