Sussex-area sports coach accused of sexually assaulting child under 10

A Sussex-area man with ties to several minor sports is now on trial in Saint John for allegations that he sexually assaulted a girl under the age of 10. 

Terrance Soucy, 52, of Apohaqui pleaded not guilty to three charges at the start of his trial on Wednesday. He was charged last year with sexual assault, sexual touching and inviting the complainant to touch him sexually. The offences are alleged to have happened at the girl's home in 2023.

A publication ban is in place to protect the identity of the girl.

According to Soucy's LinkedIn profile, he is a karate instructor. Other social media posts indicate he was also a baseball coach and that he served on the executive of Sussex Minor Hockey. 

On Wednesday, 14 jurors were selected to hear the trial. Five days have been set aside. 

On Thursday morning, they heard from a forensic expert from the RCMP's Ottawa crime lab. 

Jeff Moy told the jury about two samples taken from the complainant's underwear that were tested for DNA. 

For one of them, said Moy, the RCMP lab was able to identify male DNA, but it did not match Soucy's. It also didn't match any of the samples in national DNA databanks. 

Moy said the second sample also contained male DNA but not enough to create a profile. 

Agreed statement of facts

An agreed statement of facts between the Crown and defence lawyer Rod Macdonald describes a get-together at the complainant's home in the fall of 2023. During that visit, both sides agree that Soucy was in the same room as the girl while she sat at a computer. 

An appendix to the statement, a copy of which was provided to the media by the court, showed a screen shot of a Facebook conversation between Soucy and the girl. 

She messaged, "I need to tell cause my dad has cameras on his living room." 

Soucy replied, "Need to tell what?

"Oh my gosh … If I made you feel uncomfortable in any way, I am so sorry. I honestly didn't mean to." 

The girl said, "I [do] not care." 

Girl's mother testifies

Jurors also heard from the girl's mother, who cannot be named in order to protect the identity of the complainant. 

The woman described an event at her home where Soucy was present. 

She said nothing seemed amiss until Soucy and his wife left. She said her daughter hugged Soucy's wife but wouldn't hug him. 

She said she talked to her daughter after the Soucys left. As a result of that conversation, the mother called child protective services and the RCMP the next day. She also took her daughter to see a sexual assault nurse examiner in Saint John. 

The complainant is scheduled to testify when the trial resumes Friday morning.