Minor hockey coach charged with assaulting official in Colchester County appears in court

A minor hockey coach charged with assaulting an on-ice official during a game last month in Brookfield, Colchester County made a brief appearance in Truro provincial court Wednesday.

Marshall James Bezanson, 32, did not enter a plea on a charge of assault, and the case was adjourned until February.

RCMP responded at about 10:45 a.m. on Nov. 18 to a report of an altercation at the Don Henderson Memorial Sportsplex in Brookfield.

Bezanson is accused of assaulting a 27-year-old Truro man who was part of the officiating crew for the game. He was arrested and late released, and remains free on conditions that include not going to the Brookfield Sportsplex and not attending any minor hockey events.

Hockey Nova Scotia issued a statement after the incident saying it had been referred to Hockey Canada for an independent third-party review.

Bezanson was suspended indefinitely by Hockey Nova Scotia pending the outcome of the investigations.