West Island baseball coach convicted of sexually abusing 13-year-old

Article content

This story contains details that some readers may find disturbing.

A Dollard-des-Ormeaux resident who was a baseball coach in the West Island was found guilty Friday of sexually abusing a 13-year-old boy he was supposed to be coaching.

Robert Litvack, 44, held his hands folded in front of his chest as Quebec Court Judge Josée Bélanger asked him to step before the bench before finding him guilty of sexual assault and sexual harassment.

Article content

Litvack was hired by the boy's father as a personal trainer to prepare him for baseball. To prepare for practice sessions, Litvack massaged the boy's legs, but also asked him to drop his underwear and massaged his exposed butt.

In another incident that disturbed the boy, Litvack asked the boy if he wanted to drive his car and then asked him to sit on his lap. During the car ride, he also tickled the boy on the inner thighs.

Bélanger said she could not ignore the fact that Litvack never told the boy's parents about the massages.

“The court does not believe the defendant on this point,” the judge said in response to Litvack's attempts to explain why he did not tell the parents that he was massaging their son.

In his testimony, Litvack acknowledged that he massaged the 13-year-old boy's legs and buttocks. He said he did this to relieve pain and there was no sexual intent.

There was “a sexual connotation and he violated (the boy's) sexual integrity,” said the judge. “The acts committed were an invasion of privacy.”

“He was not allowed to massage (the boy) without the parents’ permission.”

To protect the boy's identity, a standard publication ban was imposed on the case.

Litvack was once president of a baseball club in Lac St. Louis and an assistant coach at John Abbott College. The judge described him as “a skilled coach and an important person in the baseball world.”

Sentencing will begin later this month.

[email protected]

Share this article on your social network