Defence argues ‘hockey culture’ reason former Penticton Vees player had sex with 15-year-old

A former Penticton Vees hockey player who had sex with a 15-year-old girl when he was 20 years old was embroiled in the “hockey mindset” and didn’t take reasonable steps to find out the girl’s age.

Today, Jan. 28, at the Penticton courthouse, Crown prosecutor Ann Lerchs argued that former Penticton Vees player Liam Noble should spend three years in jail for having unprotected sex with the teen four years ago, saying the sentence reflected his attitude after the offence.

“Mr. Noble identified some problematic attitudes towards women, attributing this to a ‘hockey mindset’ where he tended towards seeing women as sexual objects,” the Crown lawyer said. “(He) was dismissive of the notion he could have made different choices.”

Little was heard about the circumstances of what happened but in 2021, Noble, who was a rising hockey star, met the then 15-year-old and the two had unprotected sex.

Noble, who is originally from Dawson Creek, played for the Penticton Vees for two seasons from 2018 to 2020 and later played for the Nelson Leafs.

“At the time of the offence, Mr. Noble explains he was playing hockey for the Penticton Vees and describes he received a lot of female attention playing hockey,” Lerchs said.

He described himself as an “asshole” and was caught up in hockey culture, which was about partying and hanging out with girls.

Noble claimed the girl told him she was 17, while she said she told him she’d just started Grade 10. 

She later went to the police, and Noble was charged with sexual interference.

He pleaded not guilty and in November 2024, Judge Lynett Jung found him guilty, ruling that Noble had failed to take reasonable steps to assert the victim’s age.

The victim, who is now 19 years old and whose name is covered under a court-ordered publication ban, read out a victim impact statement.

“Two years ago, I graduated high school, but instead of having a normal senior year, I was in a cold room making statements, hoping that someone would believe what you did to me,” she told the court. “The emotional damage you’ve had on my life is enough to destroy someone.” 

The victim said the incident had long-lasting consequences.

“I became so out of touch with school, I ended up losing most of my friends and ruined relationships because I was so consumed with you,” she said. “Not only have my relationships with others been disconnected but my relationship with myself has been shifted completely. I have never fully been confident in my body or with my self-esteem.”

The victim said she had had a lot of counselling, which had been financially damaging to her family.

“I hope one day you will reflect on the long-lasting impact your own actions have caused… this letter could never fully convey to what extent of pain you’ve caused me,” she said.

While the Crown reiterated Noble’s attitude and the “hockey culture” that surrounded it, defence lawyer Cory Armour saw it differently.

“He is remorseful, he just didn’t realize he was committing a crime when he was committing a crime,” the lawyer told the court.

Armour said Noble was very young and caught up in the hockey culture lifestyle, he was being promiscuous and had multiple partners.

The lawyer emphasized that if the victim were nine months older or if Noble were nine months younger, the sex would not have been a crime.

He highlighted that this wasn’t a case of a middle-aged man going after a teenage girl.

The lawyer argued that two years of house arrest was a more appropriate sentence under the circumstances.

Earlier in the day, Noble had applied for a retrial, saying that information that had come forward in a letter of support for Noble indicated that the victim wasn’t always truthful.

“She went through some difficult circumstances at home and struggled with honesty at times. I specifically recall situations where she lied about her age in order to gain attention from older individuals,” the letter read.

While Armour argued this statement was enough for a retrial to take place, Judge Jung dismissed his application.

“He was found guilty on account of his failure to take reasonable steps to ascertain her age,” the judge said. “He did not take those steps. And I concluded that even if the conversation took place as Mr. Noble said it did and the complainant indicated she was 17 years old because of all of the other factors, he was required to make inquiries, and he simply did not.”

After lengthy legal arguments, the sentencing was adjourned and the judge will make a decision sometime in the future.