Skip to content

Crown says judge put too much emphasis on previous conviction in James case

A Crown attorney is arguing that disgraced hockey coach Graham James should serve more than two years in prison.

WINNIPEG — A Crown attorney is arguing that disgraced hockey coach Graham James should serve more than two years in prison.

James was convicted earlier this year of sexually abusing two of his former players — NHL star Theo Fleury and his younger cousin Todd Holt — and was given a two-year sentence.

Prosecutor Elizabeth Thomson is telling a Manitoba Appeal Court the trial judge put too much weight on the 3 1/2-year sentence James received in 1997 for abusing other young hockey players.

The defence had asked for a conditional sentence with no jail time, saying James had been punished enough.

James is already eligible to ask for full parole.