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By CRAIG BABSTOCK
Canadaeast News Service

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MONCTON - A Dieppe middle school violated district policy by allowing an assistant soccer coach to work with the boys team before his background check was completed.

If officials at Ecole Carrefour de l'Acadie had waited for the background report, they would have learned the man is accused of sexually assaulting children in Quebec and is under a court order to have no contact with young people.

Jean-Francois Cote, a 19-year-old Universite de Moncton physical education student, volunteered for two weeks as an assistant coach before the head coach received a tip about the criminal charges alleging he sexually assaulted children under the age of 14.

Cote is under a court order to not have contact with children and stay away from places where they might be found, such as schools, parks, playgrounds and daycares.

The head coach reported the situation to Codiac RCMP on Sunday evening and Cote was arrested later that night. He was charged with breaching his undertaking, released on conditions that include checking in three times a week with police and will return to court Oct. 20 for plea.

Luc Lajoie, School District 1's director of finance and administration, said Cote shouldn't have been allowed to volunteer with the team prior to the criminal check being completed.

"It is policy that it should be done beforehand," Lajoie said.

Officials at the Champlain Street school have met with the parents of the 16 boys on the team and police are still investigating. There doesn't appear to be any evidence a crime was committed against the players, who range in age from about 10 to 13.

Lajoie said the team's head coach needed help and looked to the university, which is common practice. Somehow he got in touch with Cote, who has coached soccer in his hometown of Matane, northeast of Rimouski.

"The coach approached him and they talked and started coaching and practising with the students," Lajoie said.

"Since then there were about eight practices or games where Mr. Cote and the coach were involved."

He said there was only one occasion when Cote worked with the team without the head coach present.

Lajoie said the head coach was essentially auditioning Cote as an assistant. At the same time, the school was conducting a background check, which is done with any volunteer who will be in contact with students.

"The school was in the process of obtaining that report, said Lajoie.