Former hockey coach and police officer sentenced for luring a child

A former Vancouver Island hockey coach and Victoria Police guard has been sentenced to a year in prison on charges of "telecommunicating with a minor for the purpose of committing a sexual offence."

Foster Martin had been arrested and charged following allegations that emerged in 2020 after a four week summer hockey camp in Port Alberni, BC. Martin was a 20 year old coach at the West Coast Hockey Prep Camp in Port Alberni when he began communicating over Instagram with a 15 year old student of the camp. Martin was found to have made arrangements with the girl so that she could perform oral sex on him at the Alberni Valley Multiplex Arena.

While Martin was convicted of luring the girl, but Judge Ronald Lamperson found that the Crown had not proven three other charges of sexual assault, sexual touching and extortion.

Martin's lawyer was seeking a jail-free sentence of house arrest, but was rebuffed by the Judge.

Ironically, Martin was working as a jail guard and an auxiliary special municipal constable with the Victoria Police Department and had an active application to become an RCMP officer at the time of his arrest. He has since been dismissed from his job since 2021 and his future in law enforcement seems like a long-shot.

“No doubt his criminal conviction for luring a minor will preclude him from becoming a police officer and will likely limit his other career options,” the Lamperson.

“I find that no form or length of a conditional sentence order could adequately serve the primary objectives of denunciation and deterrence,” Lamperson said in his decision.

"Martin abused his position of authority and trust," said Lamperson.

The victim, whose identity is protected by a publication ban, testified that she believed Martin had some influence on her ability to play hockey at a higher level and that she had hoped to impress him to advance her hockey career.

In a victim impact statement, she said she gave up playing hockey after the offence, suffered from an eating disorder for two years and engaged in self-harm before telling her parents about what had happened.

In addition to a year behind bars, Martin must register as a sex offender for 20 years. He is appealing his sentence.