Toronto Gymnastics Coach Arrested In Child Exploitation Investigation
Posted July 13, 2006 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Authorities arrested the instructor this week after receiving a tip from Edmonton police. The officers out west said they came across a man online who was allegedly promoting his attraction to children and the fact that he was a gymnastics coach in Toronto.
Investigators here looked into the accusation and they say they came across a number of websites in which the suspect identified himself as a coach and outlined his attraction to girls between the ages of six and 16.
As the investigation continued, undercover officers contacted the suspect online and police claim he told the detectives to commit sexual acts on a young child.
The 33-year-old suspect was arrested at the Pickering gym where he worked Wednesday and police executed a search warrant at his home. Authorities allege that images of child pornography and personal items belonging to young girls, including underwear, were found in his home.
Chad Meikle is charged with counselling to commit an indictable offence, theft, and possession of property obtained by crime. Police say child porn charges are pending and that he taught at the following locations:
- Pickering Athletic Club, Pickering, from April 2006 to July 2006
- East York Gymnastics Club, Toronto, from 1998 to March 2006
- Scarborough Olympians Gymnastics Club, Toronto, from 1996 to 1998
- Birchmount Gymnastics Centre, Toronto, from September 2004 to October 2004
- Toronto Gymnastics International, Toronto, from March 2006 to April 2006
After the arrest, Gymnastics Ontario issued a statement saying it has a screening system in place for its workers and coaches and said the suspect charged has been suspended pending the outcome of the investigation.
“At his most recent position with Pickering Athletics Centre, the individual charged was screened and had a police records check. Through this process, nothing alerted the club to any wrongdoing,” the statement said.
“There have not been any reported complaints by a parent or club since his involvement as a registered coach with Gymnastics Ontario. This coach is NCCP level 2 certified and risk management certified.”
Parents whose children attend the Pickering club where Meikle works were shocked by the allegations.
One woman named Esther said her children attended the first day of a gymnastics camp at the club on Monday and said she saw the suspect there on the first day.
“It’s always good to ask at the end of the day ‘how did things go’ just to get some kind of feedback,” she said.
After the arrest, police issued a stern warning to people who trade images of abused children online.
“We are there and we will find them and if they’re chatting with someone or trading in these abusive images and they don’t know, they might be trading with us,” Det. Cst. Paul Krawczyk of Toronto Police said.
If you have any information regarding this case, call Toronto Police’s Child Exploitation Unit at (416) 808-8500 or Crime Stoppers at (416) 222-TIPS.
