John Gabriel Viszlai, 49, who has volunteered with Scouts Canada for more than 30 years, is charged with unlawful confinement, sexual assault and invitation to sexual touching.

"The majority of his service has been with 11th Douglas Troop, where he served from 1973 to 2001," said police Chief Paul Battershill. "Since 2001, he has served in a technical capacity with the scouts.

"We suspect there are [other allegations] and we think the time range could be quite extensive."

Scouts Canada, with more than 24,000 volunteers working with 78,000 people aged five to 26, stresses the importance of child safety on its website.

Scouts Canada says it chooses leaders through "a detailed selection and training process," that includes a police-record check, reference checks and ongoing evaluation. The organization's code of conduct for adults says they should avoid "unaccompanied and unobserved activities" with youth.

Scouts Canada's national office did not return calls.

Victoria's Viszlai is free on bail and is to appear in court next on Sept. 4.

- Smithers gymnastics coach Raymond Lee Collingham, 37, has been charged with sexually assaulting an 11-year-old boy at a Lindsay, Ont., gym.

Collingham was arrested by Smithers RCMP on July 9. Durham Regional Police flew in the next day and took him back to Southern Ontario.

Collingham, who had been coaching with the Bulkley Valley Gymnastics Association since last August, is charged with six counts of sexual assault, four counts of sexual interference, two counts of invitation to sexual touching and two counts of sexual exploitation.

He had been coaching boys aged six to 13 in Smithers.

Smithers Mounties are not investigating Collingham.

"We've had no indication that anything happened here," said Cpl. Doug Stone.

Times Colonist

© The Vancouver Province 2007