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Gymnastics coach acquitted of sex assault sues police

EDMONTON — A gymnastics coach acquitted of sexual assault is suing Edmonton police for what he alleges was a negligent investigation and malicious prosecution.

EDMONTON — A gymnastics coach acquitted of sexual assault is suing Edmonton police for what he alleges was a negligent investigation and malicious prosecution.

A judge ruled Wednesday that there was not enough evidence to convict Perry Larsen of assaulting a 12-year-old female student while she was bent over backwards doing a handspring.

Larsen, who is 40, has filed a civil lawsuit seeking damages against three Edmonton police officers as well as the chief of police.

He alleges in a statement of claim that the conduct of the officers was “high-handed and malicious, and constituted a gross abuse of their authority.”

Larsen claims his reputation and ability to earn an income have been damaged beyond repair.

A police spokesperson would not comment on the statement of claim, which has not been proven in court.

The statement outlines how Larsen came to be arrested and interviewed two years ago.

The officers “used oppressive techniques in order to induce him to confess,” says the statement.

Larsen alleges he was held for nine hours in unsanitary conditions, that he was given a glass of unclean water when he asked for a drink and wasn’t fed for nine hours, at which point “he was provided with one slice of processed cheese in between a dry hotdog bun.”

He also alleges police issued a news release which was designed to make the public think the allegations against him were true and wrongly told his employer that he was prohibited from coaching. “As a result, the plaintiff was suspended and suffered a loss of income.”

Larsen’s lawyer, Tom Engel, told several media outlets that his client should never have been charged and wants to hold police accountable.

Justice Mel Binder concluded Wednesday after a trial that there was reasonable doubt the assault ever took place. He pointed out that no one else saw the alleged encounter even though Larsen and the girl were in a large and crowded gym.